Memories
by StarkBlack
Summary: AU Zoro/Sanji Sanji was in an accident and has lost his memory. Now Zoro takes the painful steps of helping Sanji take back his life. Will the swordsman win back his love? Or is he doomed to be just a friend forever? WARNINGS: Yaoi, language, severe angst.
1. Chapter 1

_Prologue_

He felt the scratchy fabric of the blanket beneath his hands… the lumpy pillow supporting his head. A soft, steady beeping nagged at the back of his mind… what was that beeping? His alarm clock was much louder than that…

He lifted his eyelids slowly… the room was dim, but the barest amount of light stung his eyes. How long had he been asleep? He blinked furiously, squinting. Where was he… nothing seemed familiar…

He tried to turn his head, but it felt like there was a weight pressed to his forehead. He tried to open his mouth, but his tongue felt like sandpaper.

He heard a door open… footsteps… a curtain drawn aside…

"Mr. Black?" a woman's voice.

_Long brown hair… slim waist… perky breasts…_

"Mr. Black… Sanji can you hear me?" a soft hand gently took his.

_He tried to answer, tried to nod, but his body wouldn't cooperate._

"Sanji, if you can hear me squeeze my hand. Can you do that?"

_Squeeze? Squeeze her hand? Her hand…_

He fought with unconsciousness… it was pulling him in… trapping him… His fingers twitched trying to get the woman to realize he was falling… he was falling back into that darkness… He twitched, tightened, fought… fingers… squeeze… squeeze her hand…

**Chapter 1  
**  
The phone rang. Nami shifted under the covers, burrowing her head into the pillow as far as it would go. Maybe if she ignored it, they would go away. What time was it? Two? Three?

A warm body pressed against her back and a long tan arm reached over her to pluck the phone from its cradle. She snuggled into the warmth and listened as her lover mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"Hello… Yes this is Luffy Portgus…"

There was silence for a long minute and Nami found herself drifting back to sleep. Who calls at two in the morning?

She was jarred from her rest when Luffy shot up, throwing the covers off the bed. Nami opened her eyes and was about to twist around to knock him on the head when he screeched into the phone.

"When? For how long!"

Nami sat up also and put a hand on Luffy's arm. What the hell happened?

"Yes!" Luffy grabbed her hand and turned to her with wide eyes. "Yes, we'll be right there! Thank you!"

"Oh my god, what?" Nami squeaked as Luffy dropped the phone to grab her face and kiss her gleefully. When he pulled back, he had a maniac smile splashed across his face.

"That was the hospital…" he whispered. "Sanji woke up."

Nami stared at him, taking several seconds to process the information. Sanji? Awake? Wait! AWAKE?!! Her jaw dropped and she gasped.

"_Oh my god!_"

The two jumped from the bed and started to run around the room, stripping out of their sleeping attire, grabbing shirts, trying to find socks. Nami barked orders to Luffy as he tripped over himself trying to pull on the pants he wore the day before.

"Call your brother!" she frantically searched through the clutter on her desk. "Then call your work! If they don't give you the day off, let me talk to them! I'll call Zoro- god if I can find the number to his damn hotel! Jesus! Of all the times to be out of state!"

Luffy happily pulled up his pants and got his cell phone off the night stand. He flew into the living room to slip his flip flops on and grab his straw hat and keys. _Sanji! Sanji was awake!_ He was awake and now everything could go back to normal! There wouldn't be a cloud of melancholy hanging over him and his friends anymore. The sadness that flashed in everyone's eyes now and then would go away! They could have dinner parties again, and Luffy could eat until his sides burst! _Good Lord_ he had missed Sanji desperately, but he'd missed his cooking almost as much! Everything would be better now! Everyone would be happy! And Zoro…

Zoro would be happy again…

He flipped through his contact list and pressed the 'send' button when he scrolled over Ace's number. He waited for a few rings before a sleepy Vivi answered the phone.

"Hmmm… hello? Luffy?" she yawned.

"Guess what, Vivi!"

X x X x X

Chopper rushed down the hallway heading towards a group of doctors and nurses talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Excuse me!" he squeaked. "I'm sorry! Pardon me!"

Tony "Chopper" Charlton may only have been a third year medical student but he was already known throughout the hospital, not to mention the local medical community, as a genius. A prodigy destined to become one of the Northwest's best surgeons ten years down the road. He was greatly respected and admired by his peers, so when the mass of people heard him coming, they parted for him and watched with interest as the young man tried not to sprint to the elevators.

Chopper pushed his wavy brown hair out of his eyes and grumbled into his phone. Busy signal, Nami must already know.

Kari, the charge nurse from the Neuro Ward had been so kind as to page Chopper in the ER and tell him about Sanji's status. She knew he and the blond were good friends and that Chopper was working tonight. Nurses had watched as tears began to poor out of the boy's eyes as the nurse told him his friend was awake and reacting to the doctor's questions.

When Chopper had turned those big watery eyes on his supervisor, she caved and told him to go see Sanji. Yes, the kid was respected by students and doctors alike, but the real reason everyone liked him was because he was the most adorable thing anyone had ever seen.

The elevator couldn't go fast enough. He should have taken the stairs.

Trying not to run madly thorough the ward, Chopper rushed to the desk and gave them a courtesy 'I'm going to go see him' before tripping over a chair and making his way towards room 405.

His hands shook as he pushed open the door and entered the dimly lit room. A nurse was standing beside Sanji's bed blocking his view. She was writing on a clipboard and checking the monitors. Sanji lay in the bed, his eyes closed. Kari had said he had fallen asleep after the doctor talked to him, but it was a normal sleep, nothing to be worried about.

"How is he?" Chopper whispered.

The nurse turned and smiled prettily at him. "He's doing very well. He followed the doctor's penlight and even muttered a few words before he fell asleep."

Chopper wiped his eyes on his sleeves and moved to the other side of the bed. The whole thing was hard to believe. Sanji looked the same as he had for the last several months: eyes closed… pale… slack.

"Do you want a minute?" the nurse asked.

Chopper looked up and frantically wiped at his face. The tears just wouldn't stop!

"No, no… it's okay," he sniffed. "Keep doing what you're doing."

He moved to sit on one of the cushioned chairs but stopped when his phone buzzed. He fumbled as he pulled it out and answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"_Oh my god! Is it true!?_" Usopp's voice yelled through the receiver.

Chopper couldn't help but smile at his best friend's crazed voice. "Yes, they say he was awake and spoke and everything."

"_Holy shit!_" Usopp bellowed and honking blared in the background. "_I'm on my way now! Traffic is killer though, there's some kind of accident on I-5 right after the bridge! I might have to get out and rescue a few people before I can get there!_"

Chopper chuckled and sat down. He leaned his head against the chair back and sighed. "You do whatever you need to, Usopp. Just get here."

X x X x X

"Sanji?" Nami's voice said soothingly. "Sanji can you hear me?"

She brushed his bangs from his forehead, he needed a haircut desperately. That and a good meal. He was so skinny she felt he was going to crumble underneath her fingers. The feeding tube gave him enough nutrients to stay alive, but just barely.

Luffy stood by her side, practically bouncing. Chopper watched with Usopp from the end of the bed. Luffy's brother, Ace, along with his fiancé, Vivi, stood across from them on the other side. The blond had a comforting hand on her soon to be husband and was rubbing soft circles on his back.

Ace had his arms crossed over his broad chest. His dark, shaggy hair hid his eyes and he was chewing the inside of his lip in a gallant attempt to hold his emotions at bay. Sanji and Ace had been close friends since the blond had moved to Seattle from France. They had volunteered at Ace and Luffy's dad's dojo together for six years, teaching martial arts to little kids. Sanji's accident had hit Ace hard.

"Sanji," Nami tried again. "Sanji wake up…"

The blond stirred and everyone stopped breathing as Sanji slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times before he inhaled sharply and turned his head toward the red head.

"Sanji!" Nami smiled at him, taking his hand gently. "Welcome back!"

Sanji frowned and worked his lips slowly.

"Nami?" he rasped. Vivi's quiet gasp could be heard as the six took in the sound of that voice they had thought they had forgotten.

"I'm right here, Sanji. We're all right here," Nami's smile widened.

Usopp held back tears as Chopper's grip on his arm became tremendously painful. He pried the fingers loose and put the arm around the sobbing boy's shoulders.

Sanji closed his eyes and slowly worked the muscles of his jaw. Everyone stood still, waiting for the blonde to relax the tension enough speak again.

"Nami…" Sanji croaked again.

"Hmm?" she replied.

Sanji opened his eyes and cocked an eyebrow. "Why… the hell… am I in a hospital… and why the fuck can't I move my arms?"

The tension in the room was broken as Luffy and Ace burst out laughing. It was such a Sanji thing to say, they had all missed his biting comments and his outrageously foul mouth. Seeing him lying there, eyeing Nami lecherously in spite of his feeble state, lifted everyone's spirits and solidified in their hearts that Sanji was in fact back.

Nami moved to kiss the top of Sanji's head as the blonde looked around his bed.

"You okay, Chopper?" Sanji asked as the boy turned his face from Usopp's soaking shirt.

Chopper sniffed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just so… so happy… S-Sanji…" he turned his sandy – brown head into Usopp's chest again as pitiful sobs racked his body. Usopp looked out over his head and shared a smile with Sanji.

"How do you feel besides weak, Sanji?" Ace asked quietly.

Sanji slowly turned his smile to the dark–haired man above him. "Ace, holy shit your hair is long."

Ace chuckled and hugged Vivi to his side as Sanji winced and tried to change his position.

"I'm really uncomfortable," he muttered, "How long have I been laying here? All my joints are fucking stiff as hell."

Luffy opened his mouth to answer, but Nami silenced him with a whack to the shin.

"You've been in a coma, Sanji," Nami said carefully. "You've been out quite a while."

Sanji's head turned and the smile left his face. "How long is a while?"

Nami sucked in a deep breath and squeezed his hand again.

"Almost a year..."

Sanji's eyes widened and he made a pathetic attempt to sit up. "What the fuck!" he cried, but hissed as pain shot down his spine and he let Nami push him back onto the pillow. He relaxed, exhausted by the small about of movement.

"Holy shit… holy shit…" Sanji was mumbling. Nami's heart broke and put her other hand on Sanji's.

"I'm sorry, Sanji…" she watched the hard lines in his face as the cook rolled what she's told him around in  
his head.

"What… the hell happened?" he asked slowly.

Luffy crossed his arms over his chest. "We promised Zoro he'd be the one to tell you. He's on his way from Oregon right now- Shanks got him a flight. He should be here in a couple hours."

Nami watched several expressions pass over Sanji's features before the blonde opened his eyes and looked questioningly at Luffy.

"Shanks?" he asked. He sounded as if he was losing his voice. "What is Shanks doing in Oregon? And who the fuck is Zoro?"

X x X x X

Zoro wanted to strangle the cabby. The taxi was doing exactly sixty miles per hour in the slow lane of I-5. Hadn't he told him to hurry? Didn't he understand the most important person in the world to him had just woken up from a near year-long coma, and the only thing prolonging their reunion was his shitty-ass driving?

Keep your hands to yourself, Zoro. It won't do to be arrested for murder the same day you're reunited with your lover after eleven months and sixteen days.

God, it really had been almost a year. Doctors had told him the longer a person was in a coma, the less likely they were to make it out. As the months slipped by, there was more and more talk of 'dealing with finances' and 'making tough decisions'. But Zoro had never given up hope. Sanji was a fighter, a fucking martial arts champion, and it was only a hobby! Nothing, no one could keep Sanji down or keep him from something he wanted. Sanji never gave up; never gave in to anything. It was one of the things Zoro loved most about the feisty blonde, so he resolved himself to do the same and not give in.

Zoro looked out the window and watched the tall buildings of Seattle rumble by. Just the thought of being able to hold Sanji again… to kiss him and be kissed back… to eat with him and talk with him and live… live with Sanji again… it caused a painfully sweet tightness in his chest.

He felt moisture in his eyes and blinked it back furiously. He didn't cry. He _wouldn't_ cry. He was Zoro Roronoa for Christ's sake! He was Mr. Bad Ass National Sword Fighting Champion himself! He wouldn't break down and cry for anyone! Not even Sanji! … Okay maybe he would for Sanji… when they were finally alone and back in their house… together in their bed…

The next ten minutes seemed like hours as they exited the freeway and headed towards the hospital.

"Where do you want to be dropped off?" the cabby asked.

"There's an entrance on fifth," Zoro muttered distractedly. He was about to just jump out of the taxi while it was still moving.

When they stopped, Zoro threw a couple twenties at the driver and grabbed his sword case before he jumped out. He hadn't brought anything with him besides his weapons. He trusted Shanks, his manager, to bring his other stuff back safely but the swords stayed with him.

He pushed through the familiar doors and jammed his thumb into the elevator 'up' button. The receptionist behind the desk smiled and waved at him. He nodded to her and slung his sword case over his shoulder before he stepped through the sliding doors. When he reached the Neuron Ward, nurses and doctors, who had become familiar with him over the past year, shouted congratulations to him as he passed by. He waved and jogged down the hall.

He spotted Ace waiting outside Sanji's room and called to him. But when Ace turned his eyes to Zoro, the swordsman's heart slowed. The tall dark–haired man was looking at him with a look that turned his blood to ice.

"What?" Zoro almost shook with anxiety. "What's wrong? Is he okay?"

He tried to push past his best friend, but Ace grabbed his shoulders roughly.

"Wait! Wait! Zoro!" Ace said quietly but with such force that Zoro froze.

"He's alright, Zoro," the slightly taller man reassured him. "He's alright, he's responding really well."

Zoro was not deterred. "But?"

Ace gripped Zoro's broad shoulders and looked up at the ceiling. Pain was evident in his face and Zoro felt he was going to scream is his friend didn't start explaining.

"Zoro…" Ace said as he lowered his head to look into Zoro's eyes.

"He doesn't remember you…"

TBC

A/N~  
Okay, I would like to point out a few things. First: I know that someone that's been in a coma for a year would be really really disabled. Their nerves and muscles would be shot to shit, they wouldn't be able to talk, they'd probably have a little brain damage, and they would have to be in therapy forever. I didn't want that, but I also wanted a fair amount of time to have passed since Sanji was awake. Please just ignore the slight liberty I'm taking with Sanji's recovery. In One Piece, Luffy is made of rubber, and Zoro can cut through steel, so why can't Sanji be pretty much fine after a year in a coma? Second: I'm taking a lot of liberties with some of the characters. For instance I wanted chopper in this story, but of course I couldn't have him be a reindeer, so I made him a cute little medical student. Also, I couldn't have Brook be a skeleton, so I made him a tall skinny black man with a fro. Vivi's hair is blond because it just makes more sense. A girl in her position with her personality wouldn't have bright blue hair. Everyone is also a little older than they are in the show/manga. If any of these things bother you, I'm sorry but it's my story. If you don't like it, don't read it.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you very much to those of you who reviewed! I really appreciate it! (Hugs)

Chapter 2

"Zoro," Ace said quietly. "He doesn't remember you…"

Zoro blinked in confusion. He doesn't remember him? Like amnesia? That shit only happens in fucking movies! He felt a little bit dizzy and steadied himself on Ace's shoulder.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Zoro hissed through his teeth.

Ace took his arm and tried to steer him towards a small waiting room. "Come with me, we'll talk about it. Let's get you something to drink, give you second to calm down-"

"_I don't wanna fucking calm down!"_ Zoro shouted, ripping his arm from Ace's grasp. "Tell me what the fuck is going on, Ace or I'm gonna start breaking things!"

Ace grabbed him again and pulled him close. Zoro was exceptionally strong, but Ace was just as formidable. He had spent the last ten years fighting fires for the city of Seattle, and if it came to blows, Zoro would come out looking just as bad as the older man.

"Zoro," Ace said patiently in his ear. "You have got to calm down. You make a scene and they're going to ask you to leave. Then you won't get to see him at all… you understand?"

Zoro stared at a spot over Ace's shoulder and breathed heavily through his nose. What good would it do to throw a fit right now? It wouldn't help Sanji, it wouldn't help anything. And Zoro desperately wanted to see him. Every nerve and fiber in his body cried out to see Sanji.

"Okay…" he whispered. "Okay… I'm alright… Just please tell me what's happening Ace."

Ace put his arm around the swordsman and moved him until they were facing each other; opposite shoulders against the wall. The taller man leaned his head down and spoke in a soft voice.

"It's not just you," he began. "He seems to not have any memory of the past two years. He thought he was still working at the Baratie, and you know he quit that job a little after the Christmas Vivi and I started dating."

"That was right around the time I met him…" Zoro was staring at the floor. The reality of the situation was hitting him and he felt lightheaded.

"Yeah, you guys met at the dojo _after_ he quit at the Baratie and started working at the Rocksou. He doesn't remember quitting, or meeting you, or Franky and Brook for that matter."

"That supposed to make me feel better?" Zoro's look was deadly.

"No," Ace said holding up his hands. "I'm just trying to explain. He lost the whole year before the accident."

Zoro's knees suddenly buckled and he lost his footing. Ace caught him before he could fall, and slung a thick arm over his shoulder.

"Zoro!" Ace lost his composure for a moment as his watched his impenetrable best friend falling apart before his eyes. "Zoro, you alright?"

A voice called from the doorway to the waiting room.

"Ace, is he okay?"

Ace looked up and saw Franky watching them with worry in his eyes. The dark – haired man motioned for Franky to come over in case Zoro went completely out. The big man came immediately and put a hand on Zoro's other arm. He took the sword case from Ace and slung it over his own back.

"Zoro, bud you alright? You're scarin' everyone."

Zoro looked up at Franky. The man stood almost a full head taller than he did. He was wearing a button up shirt with a loose tie around his neck as opposed to the usual bright floral pattern surfer shirt. They must have gotten a hold of him as he was going to work, or got him after a really late night. Strangely, Zoro thought of the time he and Sanji had gone shopping for Franky's birthday present. They had gotten in a fight over whether or not to get him the shirt with the blue floral pattern or the green one with the turtles.

A sharp pain pressed around Zoro's heart and he covered his eyes with his hand. _I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, Zoro DOES NOT cry…_

"Franky…" Zoro moaned. "Sanji doesn't remember me."

He felt Franky's hand on his back. "I know dude," his friend said soothingly. "I know… I'm sorry…"

The two guided Zoro into the waiting room where Robin sat sipping coffee out of a Styrofoam cup, and Usopp was cradling Choppers head in his lap. The boy's eyes were red rimmed and he was clutching Usopp's hand tightly.

"Where's Luffy?" Zoro asked as he sat in one of the uncomfortable cushioned chairs.

"He's in with Nami and Vivi, talking to Sanji," Robin said quietly. Franky moved to sit beside her, and she offered him some of her coffee.

"You want anything, Zoro?" Ace asked.

Zoro shook his head no, and chewed the inside of his cheek. He looked at his friends in turn.

"You didn't tell him how he got there, did you?" Zoro asked carefully.

Usopp shook his head. "We promised you that you'd be the one to do it. And Nami's just in there telling Sanji things about himself, like in the year before it happened… catching him up."

Zoro's eyes widened. "She's not telling him about me is she? We're dealing with Sanji from two years ago! That Sanji thought he was _very straight_!"

Robin spoke up when Usopp blanched.

"Everyone is steering clear of that topic, Zoro. No one really wants to be the one to break that news to him."

Zoro nodded. "Good. Nobody is going to except me."

Chopper sniffed from Usopp's lap. "Zoro…" he whimpered. "What are you going to do? If Sanji can't remember you, how is everything going to work? How will you guys be together?"

Zoro looked at the floor. He felt like someone had unplugged the game of his life before he'd reached a save point, and now he had to beat level ten all over again. He would have to go back to dealing with Sanji's relentless flirting with every girl in sight. The jibes, the insults, the constant one-upping each other. It had been so hard to win Sanji the first time… and now he had to do it again…

But… then again… this time Zoro knew everything about Sanji. He knew what he liked and what he disliked. His hopes, his dreams, his passions, his favorite color, his favorite dinner to cook- Zoro knew it all… Maybe with his knowledge he would do a better job this time around. Maybe it wouldn't be quite so hard this time.

Zoro stood, and everyone stopped breathing. A look they all knew far too well spread across the swordsman's features. It was the look before Zoro entered a tournament. The look he got just before he made a finishing move; cut down another opponent. It was the look that Zoro had when he was certain he was going to win.

Zoro slipped his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and took a deep breath.

"I made Sanji fall in love with me once… I'm just gonna have to do it again… that's all."

X x X x X

"I can't believe you two are getting _married_!" Sanji said quietly. "The last I remember of you two, you were still passing little glances at each other over the card table, and acting like it was 'coincidence' that you guys sat beside each other on movie nights."

Vivi blushed prettily and tucked her long hair behind her ear. "He asked me a few months ago. He took me out on his boat and we watched the sunset… it was very romantic…"

Sanji smiled at her. "Ace is that kind of guy. I'm happy for you," he lay watching Vivi's smile widen, and didn't miss the loving look Luffy and Nami exchanged. "Oh don't tell me you guys too…" he muttered.

"No," Nami giggled. "Luffy hasn't got around to asking me… yet." She elbowed the dark – haired boy in the ribs to emphasize the 'yet' in her statement.

Luffy grunted and made a face as he rubbed his side. "Sooorry, but I gotta think of something spectacular to do when I ask. I can't let my brother have one over on me ya know?"

Sanji chuckled. It had been an interesting night. He had been listening to things he had done two years ago, re-meeting friends, learning what the others had done while he'd been out. They all seemed so happy, so glad that he was there. They listened with rapt attention to everything he said, hung on every movement and sound he produced. Besides the slight ache in all his joints, and the small throb at the base of his skull, he was feeling wonderful. His friends were here, they cared about him, they loved him.

So why did he feel like something was missing? Why did he feel like there was a piece of him that should have been there and wasn't?

Sanji mentally shook his head. He was being stupid. Obviously it was the loss of his memories making him feel incomplete. There was a whole year he had lived that was locked away deep in his brain somewhere! Of course he was going to feel like something was missing!

"Hey, Sanji do you-" Luffy was cut off when the door opened. Nami and Vivi's heads turned at the sound, and Sanji was surprised to see them both go a little pale. Sanji's view of the door was obscured by the curtain, so he couldn't see who had entered and made the girls look so tense.

Luffy stretched his neck to see and smiled at whoever had just come in.

"Zoro!" Luffy waved. "Come say hi to Sanji!"

Zoro? They had mentioned this guy before. They said he and Sanji were good friends- best friends almost. It was too bad he couldn't remember him, he was probably going to make the guy feel bad without meaning to.

Luffy energetically laced his hands behind his head and started to bounce on his toes. "We've been telling him what he's missed! I tried to explain about the restaurant he works at, but I don't really know anything about it except that the food is good," the boy grinned.

Sanji's eyes turned to his left as the curtain was pushed aside by a tall muscular man with tanned skin and… green hair? His face was hansome, in a rough sort of way, and three gold hoops hugs from his left ear. Sanji immediately recognized why he had probably been friends with this person. His aura was unbelievably imposing. He filled the room with his confidence and quiet strength. In the first few seconds of seeing Zoro, Sanji believed that this man, like himself, could command the attention of a room without even trying. But unlike himself, who did it with charm and cunning insight, Zoro did it with in your face, raw power.

He met this fearsome man's eyes and felt a strange connection. It sent little shivers down his back and made him catch his breath. Zoro was looking at him with the most intense gaze he had ever encountered, but instead of shrinking or trying to back down from it like people no doubt usually did, he met it head on. He stared right back, matching the heat from those dark eyes and sending it back in full.

"Sanji," he heard Nami stand and pull Luffy to her side. He broke his eye contact to glance her way. He was never one to be rude to a lady.

"Yes, Nami?" he said sweetly.

"We're going to go for a bit, let you catch up with Zoro."

"Aw, but Nami!" Luffy whined. "I wanna-"

"I'm _hungry_, Luffy," Nami yanked on his arm. "It's breakfast time, we should go get something to eat."

Luffy perked up a little at the mention of food. "Yeah! Okay, good idea! You coming, Vivi?"

The three said there good-bye's and Nami promised Sanji they would be back later. Sanji frowned at the strange looks the red head gave Zoro before she was pulled out the door, but quickly forgot them when he was left alone with the stoic man. He looked up and watched Zoro move to sit beside his bed. His arms rested on the sides of the chair and his fingers laced together to rest against his chin. He reminded Sanji of a large cat: dangerous, yet lazy- sleepy.

They regarded each other for a minute or two. The silence was strange, but not enough to be uncomfortable. Sanji took in the other's appearance as Zoro's eyes flickered over his face and hair. Finally, the larger man lowered his hands and smiled softly.

"So…" his voice was gravely, but gentle. "How're you feeling, Shit-cook?"

Sanji blinked in surprise, then started to chuckle. The chuckle turned into a quiet laugh, which turned into a soft cough.

Still smiling, Sanji wiped his lips with his fingers and turned back to Zoro.

"We must be good friends if I let you get away with calling me _that_."

The corners of Zoro's mouth turned up further. "Like you could ever stop me."

"Oh ho," Sanji snapped back, good naturedly. "Just wait until I get outta here, bastard, I'll kick your sorry ass into your mouth."

The two grinned at each other and Sanji was amazed at how easy conversation was with this person he didn't even really know. He suddenly felt bad and his face relaxed a little.

"I'm really sorry I don't remember you," Sanji said quietly. "Nami said we were - I'm sorry – _are_ good friends."

Zoro's gaze dropped to the floor, but not before Sanji caught the pain that flashed in his eyes. He sat forward in the chair and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Yeah," the quiet man rubbed his eyes before placing a hand under his chin. "We're good friends. And don't apologize… it's not your fault."

Sanji didn't like the way Zoro said 'your fault'. He also felt like he had shoved his foot in his mouth, so he changed the subject. "They told me you were flying here? You live out of state?"

"No," Zoro raised his head and Sanji was pleased to see the painful look was gone. "I was at a tournament yesterday."

"A tournament?" Sanji asked, intrigued.

"Yeah," Zoro smiled. "I'm a national kenjutsu champion. I compete all over the country."

"Kenjutsu?"

"Sword fighting," Zoro explained. "I do all styles, but my best is kendo. I compete world class in kendo."

Sanji's eyes widened. "Wait, you compete at NASKA? So do-"

"You do too, I know," Zoro interrupted him. "We went together two years ago."

Sanji saw that flash of pain again, but was too excited to stop his questions.

"We did? How did it go? How did I do? What did _you_ do?"

Zoro chuckled again and placed a hand on Sanji's arm. "Calm down, calm down… you did outstanding. You placed first in the lightweight Savate, and Silat categories. You bowed out of your general Taekwondo match, because you refused to use your hands. The panel worked something out though, and you placed third overall."

"Holy shit…" Sanji was stunned. That was a memory he would pay dearly for to have back. "What did you do?"

"Second overall."

Sanji blinked at him. "Wow..."

Zoro snickered.

Sanji looked down at his hands and sighed, trying to let it all sink in.

"It's so unbelievable, I've been competing in NASKA forever, and when I finally place… I can't remember it…"

Zoro leaned back in his chair. "Well, believe it. You've got the trophy to prove it. It's sitting on our mantle at home."

Sanji's head snapped back to Zoro. "'_Our_ mantle'?"

Sanji watched the color drain from Zoro's face. His eyes widened and his jaw clenched hard enough to contort his cheeks.

"Um…" he stammered. "Yeah… they didn't tell you we're roommates?"

_Oh, shit, good job Sanji… way to make the guy feel as awkward as possible…_

"No…" Sanji murmured. "But it's alright… I'm sure it'll be fine. You seem like a cool guy… And we got along before just fine, right?"

Zoro relaxed a little and nodded. "Yeah, you got on me a little about drinking milk from the carton, and falling asleep on the couch and drooling on the cushions… but that's about it. We worked out that you stayed out of the workout room, and I stayed out of the kitchen unless it was an emergency."

Sanji's face crinkled and he made a mock disgusted sound. "Drinking from the carton? You're a barbarian, Zoro!"

Zoro jabbed him softly in the ribs. "Just imagine how much I've done it while you've been out?"

Sanji rolled his eyes as the door opened. A pretty nurse came in with meds and a replacement IV bag. She asked politely if Zoro would come back a little later so the patient could rest. Sanji felt slightly annoyed with the girl because he was really enjoying talking with the swordsman. But he also admitted to himself that he was beginning to feel a little sleepy. Ironic, since he'd just spent _a year_ sleeping, but whatever.

"Hey, Zoro…" Sanji said quietly as Zoro stood to leave.

"Yeah, Love-cook?"

Sanji smiled at the nick-name and pulled at his blanket. "Will you come back soon? I want to hear more about your sword fighting."

Zoro's eyes flashed and Sanji felt that same intense gaze as he had when the larger man first entered his room. But the blonde was suddenly too tired to hold it, and he looked away as his eyelids started to droop. The swordsman leaned down and helped pull the blanket up over Sanji's weak arms.

"I'll just be down the hall," he whispered. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Sanji smiled and closed his eyes. The nurse must have added something to his IV bag cause he was going under fast.

As sleep found him, Sanji told himself he didn't really feel a gentle, calloused hand brush the hair from his eyes… softly caress his cheek...

TBC

AN

NASKA: World martial arts tournament. It's being held in the US this year July 4-5. ESPN will be showing it. You should check it out, it's awesome.

Savate: A form of French martial art (er kickboxing) that only uses the feet as weapons. It's also the only style of kickboxing in which the fighters wear shoes.

Silat: Another form of fighting that only uses the legs. But unlike Savate, Silat allows the use of knees and shins. Another cool thing about Silat is that it's not used just for combat. When it's accompanied with drums, it transforms into a folk dance.


	3. Chapter 3

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! Every message get makes me feel warm and fuzzy! I'm glad you're liking it so much! **MmeRoronoa** – lol your English is fine! XD **mini-kero** – I wanted to pair up Chopper and Usopp really bad, but my sister was like NOES! HE BELONGS WITH KAYA!!!! So… I didn't.

**Chapter 3**

As Zoro closed the door to Sanji's room behind him, he was met with several concerned faces. Nami and Vivi were sitting in chairs across the hallway, Ace was still posted beside the door, and Robin and Franky were watching him from the window of the waiting room. Usopp and Chopper were nowhere to be seen.

Zoro's heart was still thudding painfully in his chest. If someone had asked him at that moment if his hands were shaking, he would have denied it - _Zoro's hands do not shake!_ – but he knew they were trembling uncontrollably. Hell, his whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

"Hey, Zoro," Ace said beside him. "You gonna be alright? You need anything?"

Zoro looked at the floor. He didn't trust himself to speak just yet, so he put his hand up and shook his head gently.

"Did you guys get along alright?" Nami asked. "You didn't fight or anything did you?"

"_Oh ho," Sanji snapped back, good naturedly. "Just wait until I get outta here, bastard, I'll kick your sorry ass into your mouth."_

Zoro's chest started to hurt. Sanji had been… just Sanji… and no, they hadn't fought, they had gotten along really well. In a way it was almost harder to take than if Sanji had been the asshole he'd known from two years ago. The Sanji lying in there on the bed was the same Sanji that Zoro remembered. The one that he had trained with, lived with, made love to countless times, fought with, cried with – _No! Zoro doesn't cry!_ He was Zoro's Sanji… but not. Everything was the same except all of Zoro had been erased from his head…

"_I'm really sorry I don't remember you," Sanji said quietly. "Nami said we were - I'm sorry – are good friends."_

Zoro had never believed in a god before, but now he wondered… because there was no way nature and chance could be this cruel. There probably was a god, and he _hated_ Zoro.

"Zoro?" Vivi's gentle voice penetrated his thoughts.

The swordsman frowned and closed his eyes. It was a little too much. He needed a moment to himself. The eyes on him, the worried expressions, the _pity… _it was getting to him. He needed to get out from under their gazes before he went crazy.

"Uh…" he ran a hand through his hair. "Give me a minute, I gotta use the bathroom."

He took off down the hall, not waiting for anyone to say anything. He slipped by a few nurses and yanked open the door with the 'men' sign. Once inside, he checked for other occupants and, discovering he was alone, locked the door. He moved to the sinks and rested his hands on the cool Formica. The pattern was blue with a dusting of white.

Blue… ocean blue… blue like Sanji's eyes… dusted white… like flower on the countertop after he made Zoro's favorite pancakes on Sunday mornings…

_FUCK!_ Zoro squeezed his eyes shut and let the pain wash over him. When he had approached Sanji's bed earlier and pulled back the curtain, his heart had stopped. The world had slowed and the air had run stagnant. Nothing had been real except for Sanji and himself. Everything had ceased to exist as Sanji had turned to look at him, his gaze just as he remembered it: cool, and calculating. Questioning and intuitive. Zoro had worried for a moment that Sanji would see right through him; see though the desperate shell covering his grief and longing and be terrified. Terrified enough to ask Zoro to leave and never come see him again.

Suddenly, the swordsman was hit with a powerful swell of nausea. He straightened and fought with it for several seconds, but quickly found it was a lost battle. He ducked into the nearest stall and wretched violently. He hadn't eaten anything since the previous evening so his heaving produced nothing but terrible cramps in his abdomen. _Goddamnit… what the hell is wrong with me? _He took a few deep breaths, and wiped his brow on his sleeve.

_Get a fucking grip, Zoro… _He needed to be more careful, needed to steel himself better next time. Needed to not lose himself in Sanji's beautiful eyes, or get caught up in the timber of Sanji's voice. Sanji was going to have to be told about the years he lost. If he was going to go back to his old life, he needed to know everything. Sanji and him had not kept their relationship a secret. Everyone that knew Sanji knew his lover was a man. Sanji had been proud of it- proud of Zoro, just like Zoro had been proud of Sanji. When Zoro finally told him, he would have to be strong when he did it. He needed to be the man Sanji had been proud of; needed to be in control, focused.

Not falling apart like he was now, alone in a bathroom. His knuckles were turning white as his hands gripped the toilet seat; tears welled up in his eyes, his breath was catching in his throat. He couldn't break down like this and show that he was weak in front of Sanji.

A knock on the bathroom door startled Zoro and he stood.

"What!" he barked, intending to scare whoever it was away.

But the voice on the other side was one that would not be swayed.

"Zoro, it's me," Chopper said boldly. "Are you okay?"

Zoro sighed. Chopper was using the 'doctor voice'. No one resisted that tone, no one even tried. He moved to the door and put his hand on the latch above the handle.

"Are you alone, Chopper?"

"Yes."

Zoro unlocked the door and opened it a few inches. The shaggy haired boy pushed it open further and thrust a can of juice and a small pill at him.

"I want you to take this, and drink _all _of this. I know you haven't eaten anything in a while and I know I can't stop you from brooding yourself into a stupor, but I can stop you from getting dehydrated."

Zoro stared at his friend for a few seconds. Then his mouth cracked the smallest of smiles, and he moved to the side to let the smaller boy into the bathroom. If there was anyone in this world besides Sanji that could get Zoro to turn into a gooey puddle of feelings, it was Chopper. He was just too fucking cute for his own good.

Chopper slipped into the bathroom and hopped up onto the counter. He sat, swinging his legs like a little kid as he watched Zoro pop the pill and down half the can of fruit juice. Zoro eyed him out the corner of his eye and almost chuckled when the little med student crossed his arms and glared at him. Well, what was considered a glare from Chopper anyway.

"All of it," he said.

Zoro rolled his eyes, tipped the can back and swallowed the rest. He tossed the empty can into the trash and wiped his mouth.

"Happy?" he mumbled.

Chopper smiled. "Yes."

Zoro moved to lean against the counter beside Chopper and folded his arms. He stared at a spot on the floor like it held the answer to all his current problems.

After a few minutes, Chopper sighed. "It's weird seeing him talk… you know? He'd been in that same position for so long…"

Zoro nodded.

"But you know what's weirder than seeing Sanji talk?" Chopper's grin was wide.

Zoro looked up and cocked an eyebrow at his friend. "Hm?" he grunted.

Chopper giggled. "Seeing Sanji talking without a cigarette! I don't ever remember seeing him without one except when we went to see him at work!"

Zoro smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… now that I think about it, it is kinda weird huh?"

Chopper's smile lessened and he put his arms around Zoro's neck. "It'll be okay, Zoro… He loves you, he just doesn't remember."

Zoro lifted himself to sit on the counter beside Chopper and put and arm around the small boy's shoulders. Chopper was so much like a little brother to him that sometimes he would forget they weren't related at all. He let himself relax a little and rested his chin in Chopper's hair, sighing softly.

"I didn't see Kaya with you guys," Zoro said offhandedly. "She working tonight?"

"No…" The boy sighed deeply and gently pushed away from his larger friend. He folded his arms across his chest. "She's still avoiding Usopp…"

"She didn't come to see Sanji just to avoid Usopp?" Zoro asked incredulously.

Chopper shook his head. "No… I don't think anyone told her… I felt weird calling her…"

Zoro patted Chopper's back. "You shouldn't feel bad about it, Chopper, it wasn't your fault."

"But I set them up!" Chopper wailed. "If I had never introduced them, then Usopp wouldn't be miserable right now!" Zoro's heart went out to his friend as the boy buried his face in his hands. "All I want is for Usopp to be happy, Zoro…"

"What about you, Chopper," Zoro whispered. "Don't you deserve to be happy?"

"It's never going to happen, Zoro. He loves Kaya, and I've dealt with that. He'll never feel that way about me… its okay…"

Suddenly, Chopper's head snapped up and he looked at Zoro in horror.

"Oh my God, Zoro!" Chopper said shrilly. "I'm so sorry! I'm such a jerk! You have so much on your mind and here I am complaining about my problems! I didn't mean to-"

Zoro chuckled and covered Chopper's mouth with his hand.

"It's okay, relax. I don't mind talking about it. It's helping me forget my problems for a little while."

Chopper looked at the floor and made a tortured face. "I'm going to get them back together, Zoro. They love each other and they're being stupid. They belong together…"

Zoro nodded and let the younger boy's head rest on his shoulder. Several minutes passed in comfortable silence before Chopper whispered softly.

"I wanna ask you a question, Zoro… But I don't want to make you feel bad…"

Zoro rubbed Chopper's shoulder. "It's okay, ask."

Chopper's face went a little red and he looked everywhere in the bathroom except at Zoro.

"What did Sanji do when you told him how you felt about him?"

Zoro laughed, a loud guffaw straight from his gut. He leaned back and grabbed his side as a cramp bit into the side of his lungs. Chopper stared at him with his jaw on the floor.

Zoro hadn't had a chance to tell Sanji directly how he felt about him the first time… Well, he'd sort of told him, but there hadn't been much _talking_ involved. There had been struggling and growling and backs getting slammed down on workout mats. It had started as a fight and had ended in a mass of arms and legs , sweat and cum, and panting and whispering insults into the darkness of the gym.

"So?" Chopper said as Zoro's laughter died down. "What did Sanji do when you first told him you liked him?"

Zoro grinned, and ran a hand through his hair.

"He kicked me in the head."

X x X x X

For Sanji, the next two days were a jumble of visiting with friends, being moved all over the hospital for one test of another. He passed his EEG and MRI with flying colors and was scheduled for a CAT scan the next morning.(1) The physical therapists had come to test his strength and reflexes, doing a series of movements with his joints and had him sit in various positions to check his blood pressure. His body seemed to be doing extraordinarily well after being immobile for such a long period of time. His limbs had been put in splints after the first month of his coma, so none of his tendons had suffered contractures.(2) His swallowing reflex was also functioning properly so the doctor said he could be started on a liquid diet immediately. Unfortunately, they hadn't removed the pick lines, and Sanji was a little uneasy thinking about there being tubes sticking out of his stomach and bladder.(3) Oh well, they would go eventually.

Now Sanji sat in his bed, watching TV and munching on ice chips. His arms were weak, so he rested his cup on his chest and tipped the chips into his mouth. He rolled them around on his tongue, savoring the feel of cool wetness trickling down his throat. His mouth had been so dry when he woke, and hearing the news that he could try liquids had sent him into a ridiculous state of delight.

2008… so fucking weird… A lot had happened in the last two years. He had been flipping between the local and national news stations for the last few hours, trying to catch up. He had even given in and switched to MTV for a while to see what was happening in pop culture. But finally, after getting tired of all the political debates and sessions where candidates he'd never heard of bashed each other, he changed it to the Food Network and set his cup down. He felt his eyelids getting heavy and he relaxed, comfortable with drifting to the sounds of cooking.

Sanji hadn't realized he had actually fallen asleep until a soft thud woke him. He opened his eyes slowly and saw Zoro sitting in one of the chairs across the room, rubbing his shin.

"Zoro?" he yawned and smiled. "What happened?"

Zoro stopped rubbing his leg and looked sheepishly at him. "I walked into the fucking end table… thing."

Sanji chuckled. He hadn't seen Zoro since he'd had his blood pressure checks. The swordsman had stood against the wall, watching Sanji's every move intently. The blonde was surprised that the other's presence hadn't felt strange or obtrusive. In fact, having Zoro there gave Sanji a strange sort of confidence. Zoro's attendance had been a silent support and Sanji appreciated it greatly.

"So what brings you here?" Sanji asked.

Zoro toed a small duffle bag by his feet.

"I brought you some things," he said softly.

Sanji's eyes widened. "Things? What kind of things?"

Zoro stood and brought the bag and set it on Sanji's bed. "Clothes and things. Your doctor said it was alright if you wanted to wear your own stuff." He unzipped the duffle and rummaged around inside. "I tried to bring clothes you've had for a few years… you know… cause, otherwise it would be like it wasn't yours… I mean, since you don't remember buying it…"

Sanji smiled when he realized Zoro was rambling. Was he nervous?

"That's really nice of you, Zoro," he eyed the bag. "Lemme see."

Zoro pulled out a pair of dark blue sweatpants with white lettering down the side. Sanji's smile widened when he recognized his college insignia.

"Holy shit, Zoro! Those are my favorite sweats!"

Zoro smiled back. "I know."

Zoro explained he didn't have any boxers from two years ago, and Sanji laughed saying that was just fine. The rest of the bag contained several t-shirts that Sanji adored, another pair of beloved sweatpants, and a dark blue bathrobe. Sanji's jaw dropped and he stared longingly at the soft blue material.

Sanji was almost startled when Zoro moved to his side and offered him his hand.

"I'll help you sit up so you can put it on," Zoro murmured.

Sanji's eyes widened, but he took the offered hand. Then Zoro surprised him yet again by the gentleness with which he used to get Sanji to sit up and help him get his arms through the sleeves of the bathrobe. The swordsman's touch was soft, and every move he made was precise. When Zoro pulled the robe closed and guided Sanji back against the pillows, the blonde couldn't help but feel the other man's hands were familiar. He told himself that he knew them because of sparring or maybe they had played cards or something a lot together. Maybe he had taught Zoro how to cook?

But no, no matter how he tried to talk himself out of it, Sanji knew it was the _touch _of Zoro's hands that felt familiar. The touch of Zoro's hands smoothing the robe… flicking his blond hair out of his eyes… tucking the sheets carefully around him.

Sanji might have been unnerved if hadn't found Zoro's being there exceptionally soothing. There was something about the green – haired man…

He smirked as Zoro moved the bag to the chair. "So why do you dye your hair green?"

Zoro smiled over his shoulder and brought a chair close to Sanji's side. He pulled off his leather jacket and sat.

"I don't dye it."

Sanji snorted, only slightly distracted by the exposed skin of Zoro's arms. His tan skin was stretched tight over thick ropes of muscle, and it rippled and flexed as the swordsman moved. Sanji thought Zoro probably had to beat the ladies away with a stick. Probably another reason they were friends; mutual interests and all that.

"So, what do you swim in chlorinated pools everyday and forget to shower? You drink a lot of lime kool-aid or something?"

Zoro chuckled. "No, I just have some kind of chemical deficiency or overcompensation or something. It's genetic, my dad had it too. My aunt tried to explain it to me once, but she lost me after 'you and your dad's hair is green because…'"

Sanji cocked his eyebrow. "Lemme see your arm."

Zoro held out his arm and Sanji peered at it closely.

"What are you looking at?" Zoro asked.

Sanji relaxed and made a face. "I was looking to see if your arm hair was green. See if you were bull-shitting me or not... but you don't have any."

Zoro snickered. "I swear I'm not bull-shitting you."

Sanji shook his head slowly. "That's really weird man…"

Zoro relaxed in his chair and glanced at the television. The two sat in silence for a few minutes watching a pretty brunette making Italian antipasti. During a commercial break, Zoro asked absently.

"When do they take you down to the physical therapy room?"

Sanji sighed. "Starting tomorrow, I go twice a day until I can walk unassisted. After my CAT scan, they're going to have me try and stand against the parallel bars."

Zoro nodded and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sanji could tell the man was fighting with something in his head.

Of everyone who had come to see him, Zoro was the only person that wasn't fanatical about telling Sanji about the years he lost. The quiet man always just visited and let Sanji direct the conversation. He talked to him and answered his questions, but he never played the 'Do you remember this?' game.

"Hey, Zoro…" Sanji asked carefully.

"Hn…" Zoro looked his way apprehensively.

"I was just wondering…" Sanji faltered.

When Sanji trailed off and it appeared he wasn't going to continue, Zoro slowly sat forward.

"You wanna know how you got here?" he asked softly.

Sanji huddled inside his robe and nodded his head.

Zoro sighed and moved the chair closer so he could rest his elbows on the bed. He spoke slowly and carefully, like he had rehearsed the words over and over again, and now he was quoting back what he had memorized from a monologue script.

"The world kendo champion is a guy named Hawk. He's been number one since… well forever. He's completely unbeatable. I'm number two. I've been number two since I got my first second place when I was nineteen- so six years. The third place guy is this dude named Bones. He has this whole big following and fan club, they call him Mr. One and all this shit… Anyway…"

Sanji didn't know where Zoro was going with this, but he kept his mouth shut and listened.

"So, this Bones guy wants the title just as much as I do, and decided the easiest way to get it, was to kill me-"

"WHAT!" Sanji interrupted. "_Kill_ you over a kendo title? Are you serious?"

"Yes, this guy is a little," he made a gesture above his head. "Off, I guess would be the right word. Anyway, so he decided to get rid of me – which, now that I think about it, is kind of retarded because he would still have to beat Hawk and that's not gonna happen… But whatever," Zoro rubbed his eyes and his voice got a little quieter. "One night, we were coming home from this thing at Robin's museum. She'd been promoted and they had all this new Egyptian shit – I don't remember – and I'd had a little too much to drink, so you said you'd drive my car home…"

Sanji waited patiently, not daring to interrupt again. Zoro had tapered off and had started to pull at a loose string in the blanket.

"Um…" to Sanji's surprise Zoro's voice shook slightly as he continued. "We were rounding a bend coming up to Capitol Hill, and we were hit driver's side by an unlicensed F 1-50. When I came to, I had my head through the glass, and you were…"

Sanji saw Zoro's chaw clenching and unclenching hard. This accident had really been rough for Zoro, and he obviously hated talking about it. Sanji moved without thinking and placed his hand on the swordsman's arm. Zoro unconsciously reached for it and rested his cheek against Sanji's skin.

"You were wrapped in the side of the car… it looked like your lower half was crushed and your head was bleeding so much… I couldn't move… I thought you were dead…"

Sanji's heart broke as he listened to Zoro's grief-stricken words. He hated being the cause of his friend's unhappiness. He tightened his fingers on Zoro's arm.

"When we finally got to the hospital, I sat through all these bitch nurses cleaning my cuts and stitching me up and not telling me a _goddamn thing_ about what was happening to you. I was so angry I almost killed the cops that came to ask me questions. But finally Chopper came in and told me you were in surgery… You had… both your… _fuck_…"

Zoro sat up straighter, pinching the bridge of his nose. Sanji couldn't tell if he was holding back screams or tears.

"Hey, hey, Zoro," Sanji said. "It's okay."

Zoro opened his eyes and glared intensely at Sanji. "No, it's not okay- it wasn't okay. You broke both your legs, Sanji. _Both your fucking legs_! And all I could think about was how your martial arts career, your biggest passion besides your cooking, was over… because of me… Those guys were out to get me, and you just happened to be in the wrong fucking place at the wrong fucking time."

Sanji's eyes widened. _Of course_, no wonder Zoro was so broken up about their accident. He thought it was his fault. Zoro had gotten away with a few new scars and a bump on the head while Sanji had broken both his legs and been knocked into a coma for a year.

"I've been waiting for so long to tell you I'm sorry, Sanji…" Zoro whispered.

Sanji stared into Zoro's dark eyes. There was so much pain there, so much grief. He knew this was a pinnacle moment, especially for Zoro. Whatever he said next would impact the swordsman more than anything else he'd heard or been told in the last year.

"Zoro…"

Zoro looked down and appeared to be readying himself for a blow. "Yeah…"

Sanji sighed. "Shut the fuck up."

Zoro's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he looked back up. Sanji almost laughed at the swordsman's shocked expression, but kept his cool. It was imperative that he took this seriously.

"Don't talk like it's all your fucking fault dipshit. It's really melodramatic and it makes my skin all itchy."

Zoro seemed to shrink in on himself as Sanji continued.

"So a couple guys tried to off you and they got me. Well, fuck them. It looks like I'm alive and so are you, so they fucked that up. I'll walk again soon, and then I'll go back to kicking your ass – which I bet I did – and then we'll go to NASKA together again, and you'll beat this Hawk guy, and we'll laugh at 'em. Maybe we'll even find them and kick their asses together. Then everyth-"

Sanji was cut off as Zoro's arms flew around him; catching him in a fierce hug. Sanji grimaced as his joints screamed in pain, but he was able to bring one hand around Zoro's waist and the other over his broad shoulder gently. He hugged the swordsman back after a few seconds, feeling a little awkward being in such a tight embrace with someone he barely knew... and a guy to boot.

_Stupid shitty swordsman… being this torn up about me…_

Sanji felt Zoro's breath catch.

"I missed you, Sanji," the larger man mumbled into his shoulder.

Sanji chuckled and rolled his eyes as he brought his arms tighter around his best friend.

"Idiot."

TBC

A/N

Electroencephalography (EEG) is the measurement of electrical activity produced by the brain. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRI) is used to measure the levels of different metabolites in body tissues. In other words, reflexes on a nervous system level. Most of you should know kind of what a CAT scan is, kinda like an X-ray on crack.

Contractures are when muscles, ligaments, and tendons lose mobility due to shortening. They're like rubber bands, so if you don't use them they lose their stretchiness.

Pick Lines are when they put the feeding tube directly into the stomach… through the stomach. Gross. Same for the bladder. (Although I think the term for the one in the bladder is different…)


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for the reviews everyone! Especially**Susumi****- **Thank you for your awesome review! I am also a big Ace/Sanji fan, and I feel there's not enough fics for them!

Anyway, there is fanart for this now!! XD If you go to http://community(dot)livejournal(dot)com/onepieceyaoi/818668(dot)html#cutid1, you will see the amazing Zoro artwork of the lovely sahikochan! Just change the (dot)'s to real periods.

**Chapter 4**

Physical therapy was not going well.

Sanji had been going upstairs to the PT room twice a day for a week and a half. He'd done well standing his first day. He had held onto the parallel bars and trembled for almost thirteen seconds before he had to sit back down. Everyone had praised him and told him he was doing so well… but it had all been downhill from there. He now could stand for more than a minute without the aid of the bars or someone else's support, but his entire body trembled and still hadn't been able to take a step. Not a single fucking step.

His doctor told him it was normal after being in a coma for so long. Walking would take time, practice, and patience. The nurses had also been very encouraging and supportive, telling him he was still doing a good job and the fact that he could stand so long was a good indication of how strong he still was.

But Sanji saw the truth they were hiding behind their kind words. Their eyes looked at him with sadness and pity. He heard whispered comments as he left the PT room every day and saw the glances the other patients gave him. He was one of _those. _One of those guys that woke from their comas but never fully recovered. He would probably never walk again, poor soul. But at least he still had his mind. He hadn't woken up a slobbering baby that couldn't talk or function in normal society. And the fact that he had woken up at all! He should be thankful for what he had! He could have died!

Fuck them, Sanji thought. If he couldn't use his legs he was as good as dead anyway. How could he continue being a chef? How could he run a kitchen if he was confined to a chair? How could he live without the feel of adrenalin pumping though his veins as he bent and twisted his body into combination attacks? Flying, kicking, heels connecting, sweat flowing, heart pounding, the ring of the bell as he knocked another opponent to the ground, the crowd cheering- _fuck_!

Sanji leaned back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. He needed a cigarette. He needed a cigarette so bad his teeth hurt. Zoro had noticed and pointed it out the day before when he had come to visit.

"They let you smoke here?" he had asked as Sanji nibbled on the rice and barbecued pork the swordsman had snuck in.

"Hmm?" Sanji had looked at the other, wondering if Zoro had read his mind. "They won't even let me drink coke yet, so no, I don't think so… why?"

Zoro pointed to Sanji's hands.

"You've been biting your nails. You only bite your nails when you want a cigarette and you're out."

Sanji had looked at his hands and, sure enough, he had chewed the nails down so far that some had been bleeding. He had shaken his head and sighed at the sight. The number of mundane things Zoro knew about him had ceased to surprise Sanji after the first week.

"Why are you still craving cigarettes after a year?" Zoro had asked.

"It doesn't seem like a year to me!" Sanji snapped. "I feel like it was just last week I was sucking on a Red, standing on the deck of the Baratie watching sea gulls fuck on the breakers!"

At first, Zoro had just looked at him with his deadpan stare. But after a few minutes the two had started to chuckle, Sanji letting himself go into fits of giggles.

"Is that really what you did on your breaks?" Zoro asked around a grin.

Sanji had rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Uh… yeah, sometimes…"

"I don't think you ever told me that before…"

Now Sanji sat in his dimly lit room, staring at the blank screen of the TV. He was exhausted from his earlier efforts in the PT room. He had tried so desperately to take that first step, but it hadn't happened yet again. He had stood at the bars, staring out at a landscape without form, the kind that was familiar and unfamiliar as landscapes tended to be in dreams. His head had started to spin as fear and nausea swept him up. He had left, chewing furiously at the skin around his fingernails. The nurse that had pushed him back to his room told him it was fine and that it would probably happen tomorrow.

Sanji hadn't even heard her. He had been slowly spiraling down into a black sea of depression.

He found himself wishing Zoro was there with him. He needed the placation and serenity that seemed to surround Zoro like a miasma. The man was a bottomless pit of patience and was a better listener than anyone Sanji had ever known.

Sanji eyed a black sweatshirt draped across the chair next to him. Zoro had left it the day before, and the blonde reached out to grab it. He placed it in his lap and outlined the logo on the front with his fingers. As he traced, Sanji realized he didn't know much about Zoro besides his accomplishments as a fighter. When the two were together, the conversation always seemed to revolve around Sanji. He didn't know about Zoro's family, were he'd gone to school, his favorite foods- anything. Yet Zoro seemed to know everything there was to know about Sanji.

The blonde made a promise to himself that he would find out these things the next time Zoro came to see him.

Resolved, Sanji looked back down at the sweatshirt in his lap. If Zoro wasn't there in person to calm him and make him more comfortable, then he would have to make do. He slipped the sweatshirt over his head and put his arms through the sleeves. It was a little big, but it was surprisingly soft. He pulled the hood up and inhaled the scent of pine wood and… what was that… steel?

Sanji pulled his legs up under him one at a time. When he had situated himself, he grabbed the remote and switched on the TV. Some network was playing an anime where the heroes wore black robes and fought giant monsters with samurai swords. It looked interesting, so Sanji placed the remote at his feet and curled up to watch, warm and comfortable in Zoro's sweatshirt.

X x X x X

Zoro quietly closed the door behind him. He knew Sanji would be exhausted from his physical therapy session and was probably sleeping. He slowly made his way to the small table by the window and set down the bag of sushi he had promised the blonde. He started to take off his jacket and glanced over at Sanji sleeping in the cushioned chair.

When he took in the sight before him, Zoro's entire body went still. The swordsman's heart leapt into his throat and that sweet ache he had grown to know so well erupted in his chest.

Sanji was wearing his sweatshirt.

It was such a stupid little thing, Zoro knew, very high school crush and all that. But the swordsman couldn't help but feel like he'd won something seeing his former lover wearing his clothes. In addition to his sweatshirt, Sanji was wearing a pair of pajama pants Zoro had bought him as a joke for his birthday. They had little chef's hats and spoons decorating the light blue fabric.

Robin had come a few days ago and had given Sanji a haircut. He'd been whining about how long it was and Zoro had begged the woman to come and fix the problem. Now, with his hair cut and his cheeks filling back out, his skin a much healthier pale, and cuddled in Zoro's sweatshirt in the chair, Sanji looked exactly like Zoro remembered him. Zoro had come home on several occasions to find his lover in this same position. Curled up o the couch, bundled in his clothes, having fallen asleep waiting for Zoro to come home.

The swordsman reached out and turned off the TV. He moved to the chair by the window and sat, perfectly content to watch Sanji sleep. He watched the rise and fall of Sanji's shoulders as he breathed. The flutter of his eyelashes as his eyes followed the phantoms of his dreams. He watched the faint twitch of Sanji's mouth and remembered the feel of those soft lips against his skin.

For the first time since Sanji had awakened, Zoro felt the distinct wrench of need in his gut. A slight tingling below his navel and a tightening in his pants made the swordsman flush slightly under his tanned skin. The sudden urge to lean over Sanji and kiss him hit Zoro so hard he felt like he was falling. He wanted Sanji so much at that moment, he almost wanted to die. He wanted to run his tongue over the creamy skin he hadn't felt in a year. He wanted to rake his fingers through Sanji's silky blonde hair. He wanted to pull Sanji's body on top of his and look into those beautiful blue eyes as he was ridden into a euphoric blackout.

But he would settle for just one kiss. Just a moment to hold Sanji's body against his own. He could survive another week if he could just once feel that blonde hair waft across his cheek.

Suddenly, Sanji's eyes opened and slowly met his own. Zoro felt a little vulnerable as he stared into those oceanic depths. It probably bothered Sanji to wake up and find Zoro had been watching him while he was sleeping.

"Hey…" he said uncertainly.

Sanji felt like an idiot. Why had he fallen sleep wearing Zoro's sweatshirt? Now the guy probably thought he was a fucking weirdo.

"Um… hi," he replied, embarrassed.

Sanji sat up and rubbed his eyes. He was probably blushing madly by the feel of his cheeks. Thank god the room was partially dark, maybe Zoro didn't notice. He made to pull his arms out of the sleeves.

"Sorry," he whispered. "It was getting kinda cold and this was the only thing I could reach."

"Don't worry about it," Zoro said. "You used to borrow that one all the time."

Sanji stopped pulling his arm out and glanced at the floor. "'Kay… thanks."

Zoro shrugged and watched with a dry mouth as Sanji's cheeks turned crimson. He gripped the edges of his chair to keep from launching himself at the blonde.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Sanji frowned at Zoro.

"How are you here? Don't visiting hours end at like… eight or something?"

_Oh shit… how to explain that…_ Zoro clenched his jaw and decided to tell a partial truth.

"Well, um… after you'd been out for a few months, the doctor called all of us together and discussed the possibility of you… um…"

Sanji made a face. "What? Possibility of me what, Zoro?" It came out a little more like a snap than he first intended.

Zoro glared at Sanji. "The possibility of you _never waking up_, asshole!"

Sanji backed down. "Sorry," he whispered after a moment.

"It's okay," Zoro ran a hand over his mouth. "Anyway, they told us that someone had to be the one to… um… pull the plug… if like… your brain stopped working or something…"

Sanji's eyes went wide. He hadn't even thought about how people were probably planning on him dying. Eleven months is a long time.

"Are aren't…" he started, "are you the one?"

Zoro looked at the floor and nodded.

"Did you like… volunteer or something?" Sanji was beginning to get a little freaked out. Zoro had held Sanji's life in his hands and Sanji couldn't even remember him!

Zoro looked back up and shook his head quickly.

"No! No! It's actually totally the opposite…"

Sanji frowned and folded his arms across his chest. He hated talking about this. He suddenly felt tremendously mortified that he had brought such a dark year upon his friends. He was a chef, someone who thrived on making people happy. He brought the gift of sustenance to others – damn good sustenance too! He loved the looks on people's faces when they ate his food! Making people sad or worried went against everything he strived for. He was fucking weak and had caused vast amounts of pain and anguish. It made him sick.

"So how the fuck did you get stuck with _that_ job?"

Zoro began to fidget and looked everywhere in the room that wasn't Sanji.

"Um… well, the doctors told us that you had already chosen me as your person. You had signed a form saying that I was the decision maker if something like this were to happen to you."

Sanji stared at the green – haired man like he had grown a second head.

Zoro would have laughed at the expression if the subject hadn't been so serious. He watched Sanji's face as the man went through the feelings of surprise, denial, disbelief, confusion, and then finally acceptance. He waited patiently sitting in the chair, his heart pounding hard in his chest.

Finally, Sanji looked at Zoro and forced the words that were screaming in his head.

"Did… did you ever-"

"No," Zoro said immediately. "Never once did I even _think_ about doing it."

Sanji nodded thoughtfully. "Okay… well… I guess I chose well, huh?"

Zoro smiled softly and nodded back. "Yeah, ya did."

Sanji looked thoughtfully at Zoro for a few seconds, and the larger man buckled under his gaze. There was no way in hell he was going to be able to sit there with Sanji's eyes on him like that, and not start crying or molesting him or something. He stood quickly, wringing his hands.

"I know this week's been rough, Sanji." Zoro said, picking up his jacket and searching through the pockets. "So I brought you something to make you feel better."

Sanji sighed. "I don't think there's anything you could have that would cheer me up right now, Zoro."

"Oh yeah, I think there is…"

Sanji started to get frustrated again.

"No, there isn't! I can't fucking walk, Zoro! I might not ever fucking walk again! My life is fucking over as far as that's concerned! So unless you've come with some kind of…" he trailed off when he saw the small box Zoro pulled from his jacket pocket.

"Oh fuck…" Sanji breathed.

Zoro was holding up a pack of Marlboro Reds in his hand; Sanji favorite cigarettes. His vision tunneled on the small red and white box. The rest of the world disappeared and Sanji's mouth started to water.

He held out his hand. "Gimme," he said.

Zoro shook his head.

Sanji came back to reality and looked at Zoro.

"Gimme… please?"

Zoro shook his head again.

Sanji sat as far forward as his arms could support and shouted at the man before him.

"Holy fuck, Zoro! What are you trying to do? _Kill me?_"

Zoro moved to the window and sat on the wide sill. He peeled the plastic off the small box and pounded the box in his palm, packing the tobacco like he knew Sanji always did. He did it slow, watching the hungry look on Sanji's face.

"I'm not giving this to you for nothing…" Zoro started.

"Well what the fuck do you want?" Sanji asked, his eyes never left the pack.

Zoro set the pack behind him so he could have Sanji's full attention. When the blonde looked up at him with a devil's glare, he folded his arms across his chest.

"I want you to walk over here and get it."

Sanji's hands clawed at the arm rests and his lips pulled back to show his teeth.

"How… _dare__…_ you… Are you making fun of me, asshole? Don't you think if I could do that, I already would have after kicking your ass out the window _y__ou insensitive prick_"

Zoro calmly slipped off and moved the pack of cigarettes to the center of the sill. He advanced towards Sanji and knelt beside the chair. The blonde made to punch him, but Zoro easily caught his arm. Sanji was breathing hard through his nose and his eyes were murderous. Zoro pulled him close and spoke softly.

"Sanji, I've known a lot of people in my life, and you are by far the biggest asshole I've ever come across. You're annoying as fuck, and a giant pain in the ass. You bitch and whine like a girl, and the fact that you iron your jeans makes me want to kill you sometimes. But you're also the best friend I've ever had… you know why? Because you're the only other person on the planet that's as stubborn as I am. No one's able to put up with my shit like you do. I've seen you broken and bloody and still gunning for more after a Savate match that would have _killed_ a normal person. I've seen you standing in the street, smoking a cigarette with a broken hand like it was _nothing_ after defending Chopper."

Sanji's face had softened as he listened to Zoro speak. The swordsman's hand had moved from his wrist to clasp his own in a tight grip.

"You have never given up on anything or anyone _ever_ before… so now, I'm not giving up on you. Okay?" Zoro stood, keeping his grip on Sanji's hand. "It's three and a half steps to the window. I'll help you, I'll be right here. You can lean on me. But you're fucking gonna do it. You're gonna get out of this stupid fucking funk you're in and be a man. You got me?"

Sanji looked up at Zoro, his feelings in turmoil. This man sparked emotions in his gut he hadn't felt in years: inspiration, rage, and fear… At that moment, he understood what he liked the most about the swordsman. He reminded him of Zeff, his father. The shitty old man had died several years ago and left Sanji with a large sum of money for college and cooking school abroad. He missed him tremendously. He had the same intense energy that Zoro possessed, the same powerful aura that had struck Sanji when he had first seen the green – haired man. And let's not forget that Zoro pissed him off just as much as his father had.

Sanji clenched his jaw and took strength in Zoro's words.

"Okay," he whispered. "Okay, let's do it."

Zoro helped Sanji to his feet wordlessly. He had been a little more longwinded than he had originally intended, but it had worked. He recognized the look on Sanji's face. It was how he looked when trying a new dish, or a new combination of moves. Zoro felt his spirits lift at that look. It was so much better than the one he'd been wearing the last week, and a _thousand_ times better than the sneer he'd been giving Zoro minutes before.

Zoro slipped Sanji's arm around his tanned neck and the blonde clutched the swordsman's shoulder in a death grip. His legs were already shaking and sweat was beginning to bead on his forehead. He knew this was going to be painful, but Zoro had such confidence in him. He couldn't let him down. He felt one of Zoro's hands come around his waist and the other grasped Sanji's hand on his shoulder.

"You ready?" Zoro said in his ear.

"Yes," Sanji whispered.

But then the formless landscape rose up before Sanji's eyes. The dizziness and nausea hit him like a truck and his knees buckled from under him.

"Sanji!" Zoro caught him and pulled him straight again. His voice was quiet and patient. "_Focus_. Focus on the window sill. Focus on your cigarettes. You see them?"

Sanji looked and tried to see just the red and white pack in front of him. He tried to focus on the soothing baritone of Zoro's voice. The landscape around him started to solidify and return to the tiled floor of his hospital room.

"Yeah," Sanji breathed. "I can see them… Don't let go of me okay?"

"Never," Zoro whispered. "I'm right here."

Sanji's eyes honed in on the Red's pack. He tried to bring back the tunnel vision and forget everything else around him. Just the pack and Zoro's voice. His free hand moved to grip the thick fabric of Zoro's shirt. His breathing had sped up, along with his heart. The steady thump-_thump_ echoed in his ears. Right foot first. His kicks from the right foot were always better because he was left foot dominate. His left foot was his grounding foot. Yes. He would start with a step from the right foot.

He shifted his weight to the left side and almost shrieked as a white hot bolt of pain rocketed up his side. He gasped and Zoro's voice was there, reassuring and encouraging. He found his strength again and slowly dragged his foot forward. He quickly shifted his weight again and brought the left to meet the right. His eyes squeezed shut to try and shut out the pain crackling from his toes all the way up to his lower back.

"Sanji… _Sanji_!" he heard Zoro saying. "That was a step!"

Tears had started to run down Sanji's face and his breaths were coming in quiet sobs.

"Fuck, Zoro…" he panted. "It hurts… _Christ_ it hurts!"

Zoro pulled him closer and whispered in his ear, not unlike a lover bringing an innocent virgin to his bed for the first time. Sanji opened his eyes and focused on his cigarettes again. Zoro's voice chanted in his ear, calming and empowering. He wouldn't fail his friend. He wouldn't fail this friend that believed in him.

Sanji envisioned a Savate ring. The stands were empty, and darkness surrounded the platform. His opponent was across the way from him, dressed in red and white. He was sneering at Sanji, mocking him, telling him he could never win- he was the champion. Zoro stood behind the rope, his arms folded across his chest, his face silently encouraging. Sanji turned back to his foe. He thought through his favorite attack moves, and advanced. He sprung from his feet, vaulting from his hands, bending and twisting his back to bring his heels down on the head of his enemy. Pain flashed though his body and his vision turned red. But he saw his opponent go down, he saw the red and white fall to the floor.

Then Zoro was there, holding Sanji's hips and speaking softly as Sanji sobbed uncontrollably. He was sitting on the window sill leaning on the glass. Zoro was close, Sanji could see the hairline scars on the man's cheeks as he spoke to him.

"Sanji? Sanji are you with me again?" Zoro looked up into his eyes.

Sanji felt the tears running down his cheeks and over the hand that covered his mouth. He nodded slowly and sniffed.

"What happened?" he choked out.

Zoro smiled and removed his hands. He backed away a few inches and whispered excitedly.

"You walked to the fucking window, is what happened."

Sanji's breath hitched and fresh tears fell from his eyes.

"Really?" he cried.

Zoro nodded and moved to sit beside his friend. He picked up the pack of cigarettes and opened the window.

"You sort of moved in a trance," he explained as he opened the pack and pulled out a lighter. "But you did it yourself. I just let you lean on me. Then I lifted you onto the sill so you wouldn't collapse."

Sanji wiped at his eyes and took the cigarette Zoro handed him. He placed it between his lips and bent forward as Zoro flicked the lighter. He pulled the smoke into his lungs and was hit immediately by the exquisite numbness of nicotine… and the violent urge to cough.

He exhaled, choking and coughing as his lungs burned and his eyes watered. Sanji couldn't help but laugh. Smoking hadn't felt that way since he first started when he was thirteen.

"You know," Zoro said beside him. "I think you coughing on a cigarette is the weirdest fucking thing I've ever seen."

Sanji laughed again. "How do think it feels for me?" He took another drag and blew this one out in a much cooler fashion.

They sat together on the sill while Sanji smoked two more. When Sanji had almost finished his third, he leaned over and rested his head on Zoro's shoulder.

"Thank you…" he said almost inaudibly.

Zoro gently kicked Sanji's leg and grunted.

"You're welcome."

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

I had some awesome reviews on this last chapter! Thank you so much to everyone! I just wanted to individually thank some people that really went the extra mile! **mini-****kero** Lol, thank you! I'm glad you're liking it so much! Hope this chapter doesn't make you too sad! **Anon** Thank you! (hugs) **oskalaboska** Thank you so much for trying my fic even though you don't like amnesia stories! **Susumi** Awesome reviews as always, I love you! **jhei114** Thank you! Thank you! You're too kind! XD Thank you Everybody! Reviews make me happy, and make my write chapters faster! X)

**Chapter 5**

"So, why have you not told him, again? Explain it to me so I can understand."

Zoro looked up from arranging pictures in a cardboard box to glare at his friend.

The tall, skinny, black man raised an eyebrow from under his outrageous afro. He crossed his arms over his black suit jacket and tapped his foot in a mocking fashion. "I'm waiting…"

"Don't be an asshole, Brook," Zoro growled. He lifted the box, and carried it from the bedroom and headed towards the living room. "You know why I haven't told him. He'd freak the fuck out and I wouldn't be able to get him to come home."

Brook watched as the swordsman brushed passed him. He followed slowly, doing a little dance to music only he heard. He perched on the end of the couch and watched Zoro scanning the framed photos on the mantle.

"And… waiting to tell him, _lying_ about your relationship for almost three weeks is _not_ going to make him freak the fuck out?" Brook smirked at the way Zoro blatantly ignored him.

Zoro pulled a picture from the mantle and placed it in the box. "Look around for any pictures of me and Sanji that could… be taken the wrong way."

Brook's musical laugh filled the room. "You're gonna tell him, right? Why are you so worried about pictures?" Despite his words, he stood, and scanned the pictures along the top of the bookshelves.

"Because!" Zoro barked. "I'm not going to tell him the second I walk in the door! And how fucked up would that be for Sanji to learn he's gay from a _picture_! I'd be murdered right on the spot!"

"I recall Sanji telling me on several occasions he was _not_ gay. He was bi 'cause he still liked girls." Brook lifted a picture of Zoro kissing Sanji's cheek at the Puyallup Fair.(See A/N) "He just went all cock mongrel for you."

Zoro rubbed his forehead and willed himself not to punch something.

"Fuck you, Brook that's _not_ the point!"

The musician chuckled softly. He pulled three more pictures he found with Zoro and Sanji looking like they were 'more than friends' and placed them neatly in the box.

"Well," he sighed as he straightened. "I'll be glad to have the cook back. Maybe once I start eating his meals again I won't be all skin and bones." He rubbed his stomach and almost salivated at the thought of the food Sanji could whip up what seemed like moments.

Zoro rested his hands on the cool brick of the mantle and closed his eyes.

"He won't be making any big party dinners any time soon… he's still really weak."

Brook saw the sadness weighted heavily on his friend's shoulders and moved to put a comforting hand on Zoro's back.

"When do you bring him home?" Brook asked softly.

"Tomorrow," Zoro murmured.

Brook leaned against the mantle and crossed his arms again. "Are you scared?"

"Oh my god, I'm terrified," Zoro breathed. "I've felt like I'm gonna puke for the last week."

Brook sighed and pulled a silver box from his pocket. He flipped the top open and pulled a black, clove cigarette from inside. He placed it between his lips and, with a flick of his wrist, lit the tip coolly with a match.(See A/N)

"So," he said as he exhaled. "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

Zoro straightened and moved to the box. "Well, he could kick my ass and then kick me out of the apartment and tell me never to speak to him again, which I think is the most likely scenario."

Brook cringed and puffed on his clove.

Zoro closed the box and lifted it, moving toward the closet. "Or, he could kick my ass and then call Luffy or somebody to come get him… and then he would never come back…" Zoro placed the box in the back of the closet and closed the door. He stood with his hand on the knob and his eyes boring into the dark wood.

"I don't know, Brook…" he said softly. "There's a lot of things that could happen…"

Zoro was usually unreadable. Only when he was fighting or when he was truly happy with Sanji, had Brook ever been able to decipher his friend. The look of despair that washed over the swordsman's face at that moment was so foreign, that the musician was struck dumb for a few seconds. He shook himself quickly though, and advanced. He grabbed Zoro's coat from the back of the couch and threw it at the shorter man.

"Stop moping, and let's go get something to eat." Brook's tone was only half scolding. "Then let's go see Sanji. I have a little while until the show tonight. That silly love-cook doesn't remember me either, and I need to make friends with him again so he'll feed me."

X x X x X

Everyone was being so nice, Sanji felt slightly coddled. Sanji hated being coddled, but he was so excited to be leaving, that he let it go. He was wearing jeans for the first time in what felt like forever, and he had scrubbed the stale, stagnant feeling of hospital off his body. He now stood at the entrance to his once-prison, washed, trimmed, and looking very sexy in his leather jacket. He lit a cigarette and shoved his hands into his pockets as the small group waited for Zoro to pull the car around.

"So, barbecued pork tomorrow, Sanji? Please?" Luffy was practically dancing. "You promised!"

Nami shoved her elbow into his ribs. The boy chuckled and his grin grew wider.

"Yes, Luffy," Sanji sighed, smiling softly. He would never admit it out loud, but Luffy's excitement at eating his food made his heart sing. "I'll come to Ace's tomorrow and make you guys barbecued pork."

"Actually," Ace cleared his throat. "It's Vivi's place."

Sanji looked up at the other man and grinned. "Oh really?"

Ace's grin mirrored Luffy's. "When you get with an heiress, you definitely end up staying at her place. She's got one of those California king sized waterbeds dude."

Vivi frowned prettily and put a hand on her hip. "You told me you liked the TV, Ace."

Ace wiggled his eyebrows at Sanji. "Oh yes, the TV is nice too. Great for Halo."

Sanji gave him a wide toothed grin around his cigarette. "Oh I _so_ cannot wait to _rape_ you in Blood Gulch."

Ace laughed. "Oh no dude. We're playing Sidewinder and limiting it to sniper rifles, and Zoro is gonna _kick your ass_!"

"Yes!" Luffy exclaimed. "I'm gonna have Zoro on my team and I'll finally be able to beat Sanji!"

Sanji looked at Luffy and scoffed. "I don't believe it. No one can beat me one on one Halo."

"Zoro did," Ace said evilly.

"And you haven't even played Halo Three yet!" Luffy cheered.

"Okay okay! _Stop_!" Nami had her hands over her ears. "Sanji's been out of the hospital _five whole minutes_ and you guys are already turning back into freaks!"

Luffy muttered an apology while Vivi giggled into Ace's neck. Sanji watched the two couples and though how strange it was that while he had been out, everyone had seemed to find love. Well, everyone except Chopper, but it wasn't lack of love that was his problem. He felt a tinge of jealousy as he watched Ace's arm slip around Vivi's waist. No one had said anything about him having a girlfriend. Not that he really expected to have one.

Sanji had never before had a problem wooing women, but after a night of flirtatious fun and a quick tumble in the sheets… or wherever, Sanji found women were fickle and most of the time stupid. He would slip them the classic 'I'll call you' and he was out the door. He was charming enough, and cunning enough that he kept them at arm's length without breaking too many hearts. He loved women, everything about them… but a relationship with any of them? He couldn't stomach the thought.

"Hey," Ace's voice piped up. "There's Zoro."

Sanji turned to see a blue Nissan pull into the turnaround. It was beautiful model he didn't recognize. Sleek, obviously race car inspired, two door with what looked like eighteen inch aluminum-alloy wheels and dual exhaust. Sanji was instantly in love. How Zoro could afford something like that on a coach's salary was baffling.

Zoro slipped out of the driver's seat and fixed Sanji with a maniac grin. Sanji couldn't tear his eyes from the beautiful piece of machine in front of him.

"This is…" he puffed on the cigarette. "Damn Zoro…"

Zoro came around and grabbed Sanji's bags to throw them in the trunk.

"I know," he said smugly. "V six, twin intake, some cool timing control system shit, I don't know. You're more into cars than I am. I just like the inside. It's got a GPS, Bluetooth, six CD changer, _five_ cup holders…"

Sanji stood trying not to drool as Zoro opened the passenger side door. The blonde leaned in to inspect the black leather bucket seats and the plethora of fun gadgets set in the dash.

"Can I smoke in here?" Sanji straightened and turned back to Zoro. But to his surprise, everyone was staring at him with maniac grins plastered to their faces. Even Vivi.

Zoro folded his arms over his chest and cock an eyebrow at him.

"You can do whatever you want in there," he leaned forward and whispered in a sinful tone.

"It's your car."

Sanji's eyes bulged. He looked at the car, and then back at Zoro. "Bull-shit," he breathed.

Ace and Luffy started to laugh behind Zoro. Sanji looked around the tan man to ogle at the four standing under the entrance roof.

"He's pulling my leg, right?" Sanji took the cigarette in his fingers before it slipped from his lips.

Nami shook her head. "No, he's not, Sanji. It's yours. You bought it about two and a half months before your accident."

Sanji blinked and turned to Zoro before he looked back inside the car. "Well shit!" he exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Zoro shut the door behind him and hurried around to the other side to slide into the driver's seat. Sanji was about to start playing with the GPS when Ace tapped on the window. Sanji pressed the automatic window button and frowned when he met Ace's serious expression.

"You okay, Ace?"

Ace rested his arms on the window and leaned into speak softly to Sanji.

"I want you to promise me Sanji," Ace's voice was no nonsense, like when he was speaking to his subordinates at the fire station. "That no matter what happens today, you'll still come to dinner at Vivi's place tomorrow."

"Ace…" Zoro growled from Sanji's left.

Ace glanced at him, but turned back to Sanji. "Promise, Sanji."

Sanji's frown deepened as his confusion fostered, but he nodded and said he would. With that Ace's smile returned and he stepped back onto the sidewalk.

"Well then, have fun guys! Good luck Zoro!"

Zoro grunted a quick 'Hn' and he pulled away.

Sanji let his confusion drain away as he played with the GPS and other toys the Nissan had.

"Zoro, this is so fucking cool."

Zoro's huff had disappeared as he watched Sanji fidget with everything out the corner of his eye.

"Yes it is."

Sanji opened the glove box, and found a stale box of cigarettes. He chuckled and tossed them back in. Reaching behind him, he found a large CD case.

"Oooh," Sanji said, straining a little as the CD case was heavy and his arms weren't back to normal yet. "Yours or mine?"

"Kind of a mixture," Zoro said. "The front half is mine, the back is yours."

"Alright," Sanji said happily. "Let's see what kind of music you like."

He opened the CD case and flipped though a couple leafs of classic rock. He found a few _Led Zeppelin_ CDs, _The Who_, and _Pink Floyd_, then came to more contemporary stuff like _Pearl Jam_, _Green Day_ and _Weezer_. He glanced over a few bands he didn't know like _Nonpoint_ and _Avenged_ _Sevenfold_, but stopped when he came to a leaf filled with CDs covered in Kanji. He looked up at Zoro and pointed.

"What are these?" Sanji asked.

Zoro glanced at the CDs. "Those are Traditional Japanese Koto music. I listen to them while I'm meditating or sometimes you'll play them while you're going through combinations in the living room."

"Ah…" Sanji continued flipping though the case until he came across CDs he knew were his own. Jazz like Ray Brown and Diana Krall, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Classical groups like the ChicagoSymphonyOrchestra, and New York Philharmonics. Classical musicians like Mitsuko Uchida and Yo Yo Ma.

Sanji sighed and happily flipped through the leafs, looking forward to time in the kitchen with a little Jazz piano for background.

"What's come out recently?" Sanji asked.

"Amy Winehouse," Zoro said and flipped to the back, pulling out a CD while keeping his eyes on the road. "She's only been big in the US for a little while, but you've liked her since back when she was still just a British star." He slid the CD into the player and let it play.

Sanji leaned back and let the 1960's soul beat wash over him. The songs Motown feel and blunt lyrics coaxed the blonde into another cigarette, and he let himself drift to the sound of the woman's gin soaked vocals.

"This chick hot?" Sanji asked sleepily.

Zoro had to chuckle. "You think she is, but she's kinda…" Zoro searched for a word, "dirty… for my tastes."

"Hmm, dirty huh?" Sanji pulled smoke into his lungs. "Sounds good to me."

The rest of the ride was spent listening to the music as Sanji watched the boats sail across Lake Union, and squinted at the reflection of the sun on the waves. A few minutes after they had exited the freeway, they reached Capitol Hill and Zoro turned into an enormous apartment complex surrounded by a high wall, and closed off with an electronic gate.

Sanji sat up in his seat. "Wow, this is a nice place."

Zoro didn't say anything as he keyed the combination into the pad and the gate slid open. Sanji noticed the swordsman's behavior was getting odd. He was stiff, and he clenched the steering wheel in a grip that looked like it would break it. His movements were also getting clumsy. When they pulled up in front of their building, Zoro fumbled with the keys and almost tripped getting out of the car.

Sanji followed the taller man into the large foyer. Zoro moved quickly, avoiding the women at the front desk, and headed straight for the elevators. He pushed the button and stood chewing his lip. Sanji noticed the skin on his forehead was glistening and he moved closer to his friend.

"Zoro," he said softly. "Are you okay?"

Zoro nodded and stepped though the elevator doors. They lived on the fifth floor, with a corner unit overlooking the city. Zoro managed to get the keys out of his pocket and unlock the door before stepping aside to let Sanji in.

Sanji audibly gasped as he entered the spacious apartment. He moved through the entryway admiring the polished wooden floors and Japanese art hanging from the wall. The living room was enormous. Black leather couches and simple furnishings with clean lines were used in a limited palette of natural earth tones, and the wood columns were sandblasted to give the impression the apartment was slightly rustic. Sanji moved to the kitchen and felt his hands itching to touch everything. Concrete, granite and linoleum were used for the flooring; chrome and stainless steel were accents on furniture in the dining room and in the kitchen, and the cabinets had a beautiful lacquered finish. Sanji walked slowly, running his hands over the flat top stove, and smiled insanely at the fact he had a deep fryer _and_ a grill mounted in the island. This was his dream kitchen, and _it was__ really__ his_!

Zoro had set the bags down and watched Sanji admire the apartment he had decorated himself. He hadn't taken any part in the decorum except for a few traditional Japanese fans and bamboo fountains. He wasn't into all that interior design stuff like Sanji was. His tastes included a soft couch to watch TV on, a fridge, and a microwave. Give him a beer and he was set.

When Sanji's face lit up like the sun as he surveyed the kitchen, Zoro's stomach did a flip flop and he had to fight the urge to run to the bathroom.

"Zoro," Sanji exclaimed as he stepped back into the living room. "This is fucking incredible!"

"Gets better," the swordsman said and steered Sanji past the dining room.

Sanji turned the corner and almost fell over as Zoro guided him to stand before the expansive corner windows. The scene before them was the entire city of Seattle, bathed in the golden-orange light of the setting sun. Sanji's heart caught in his throat as he took at all in and moved to sit on the desk before his legs gave way.

"Oh my god…" the blonde whispered.

Zoro stood beside him and admired the scene himself. He remembered the first time they had set foot in the place. The landlord had taken them immediately to this spot and Sanji had lost his breath. He had looked pleadingly into Zoro's eyes, and the older man had caved. After a quick look through the kitchen, Sanji had told the landlord they would be taking it.

Later that night, Zoro had spread a blanket right here on the floor and had made love to Sanji surrounded by the soft glow of city lights. The swordsman felt his control slipping as he let that memory wash over him.

"You chose this apartment for the view," he told Sanji.

Sanji blinked, and returned from wherever he had been drifting. "Yeah… it's pretty amazing…"

Zoro watched as Sanji pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit it. He suddenly realized that he needed to tell Sanji what was going on before he asked to see the rest of the apartment.

"Sanji," he said, running a hand over his mouth. But he faltered and retreated into silence again.

Sanji's eyes stayed glued to the sunset. "Hm?" When the swordsman didn't answer, he looked up at the other man and frowned.

"Zoro, are you doing okay? You've been acting kinda funny since… well, since we left the hospital."

Zoro's heart sped up slightly. His voice failed him, so he motioned with his head for Sanji to follow him into the living room. The blonde complied sporting that confused expression, and sat in the middle of the larger couch where Zoro indicated. The swordsman sat in the adjacent couch and rested his arms on his knees.

"Uh…Sanji…" Zoro started. "We… have to talk about something… important."

Sanji pulled his legs up underneath him and nodded; he had been expecting this. If he had been out for almost a year and they were living in _this_ kind of place, there were no doubt some money issues that needed clearing up.

"I'm listening, Zoro."

Sanji watched as several hard to place emotions passed over Zoro's face. The man seemed nervous as all hell. After waiting patiently for a few minutes, Sanji encouraged.

"Hey, Zoro. If there's any kind of loose ends, like money problems from me being out… it's okay. We'll figure it out."

Zoro let out a choked laugh, but it held absolutely no mirth.

"No…" he said behind his hand as he tried to stop the anxious chuckles that were tumbling, unbidden, from his knotted stomach. "No we don't have any money problems. I took care of all that."

Sanji's brow furrowed. He was so beyond confused. Zoro had always seemed so in control, so confident in everything he did. Why was he acting this way? What was so wrong?

"Well…" Sanji pressed gently. "What is it?"

Zoro heard the words in his head. He knew what he needed to say, but somewhere between his mind and his mouth they were getting lost. He couldn't make himself speak. He could feel his hands starting to shake slightly, and sweat was starting to drip down his back. He yanked off his jacket and threw it down beside him on the couch.

"Fuck," he said aloud, and placed his forehead in his hands.

Sanji was starting to get worried. Maybe Zoro needed a few minutes alone, or maybe he just needed a moment away from Sanji. Whatever was troubling him was really, _really_ troubling him.

"Hey hey, Zoro," Sanji said, and moved closer. "How about you chill for a little while, I'll give you a few minutes alone."

Zoro's head snapped up. "No!" Sanji's thigh was almost touching his. He needed to keep his distance, for his own safety. "If I don't tell you now… I'm not… I need to tell you."

"You sure?" Sanji asked.

Zoro nodded. "And… move back. Don't get so close to me…"

Sanji frowned, and slid back to his original spot. He put out his cigarette on the ash tray sitting on the coffee table. This was getting weird, and Zoro was finally making Sanji uncomfortable.

"I don't know, Zoro," Sanji said. "How about you just show me which room his mine, and I'll take a nap. I'm kinda tired, and you really look like you could use a minute."

Zoro rested his lips on his laced fingers and felt something break inside him. It was now, he had to do it now.

"Sanji…" he said softly. "There's only one bedroom in this apartment…"

Sanji sat still, trying to understand what Zoro was trying to tell him. "We only have one room?" Sanji sat forward. "That's kinda weird, Zoro. What, do we have bunk beds or something?" he tried to grin, but the serious expression and slow shake of Zoro's head made him stop.

Wait, what was…

"Zoro…" Sanji said slowly, carefully. "Why do we only have one bedroom?"

Zoro looked at the floor, unable to meet Sanji's eyes.

"We only have one bedroom, Sanji… because we sleep in the same bed."

Sanji didn't move, he didn't even dare to breathe. What was Zoro saying… that they were _together_? Like _lovers_? Fuck no! Sanji knew he was straight as an arrow! What the hell was going on! If this was some kind of a joke…

"Zoro," Sanji ground his teeth. "This really isn't funny."

"Oh, yeah," Zoro looked up with a defeated look in his eyes. "I know that already. This hasn't been even on the same _planet_ as funny for the last few weeks!"

"So what the hell are you trying to tell me, Zoro?"

Zoro raked a hand through his hair. "What the fuck does it sound like, Sanji?"

Sanji snapped back at him. "You're making it sound like we're _fucking each other_!"

"_That's exactly what I'm saying_!" Zoro barked with much more malice than he intended.

Zoro watched Sanji's eyes widen and felt like tearing his own tongue out. _God damnit! Fucking stupid! Fuck, Zoro! How could that have gone any worse!!?_

Zoro backed off and looked back at the floor.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Sanji just sat. He couldn't have moved off the couch if he wanted to. His arms and legs had turned to jelly. This could not be happening, this _was not_ happening. How the hell did he go from suave ladies man, to _gay_ in a year? Okay maybe it was two years, but _come on_!! There was no way! It had to have been Zoro. What had this asshole done to him!? No, don't think about assholes. What the fuck had this _jerk_ done to him!?

It took him a few seconds to realize Zoro was talking to him. He shook his head. "What?" he asked hoarsely.

"I said," Zoro was looking at the floor by Sanji's feet. "I already made plans to stay at Ace's tonight so you'd have time to think."

"I don't need t-" the reality of what Zoro just said hit Sanji like a cannon. "Wait… oh _fuck_!" the blonde curled over his stomach as he started to feel nauseous. "They know don't they? They all _fucking know_!"

Zoro grimaced. At least Sanji wasn't denying it anymore. "Yeah, they all know."

"Oh shit!" Sanji rolled to his side and covered his face. "Oh this is fantastic… Fan-fucking-tastic! How could you guys do this to me!" He sat back up and glared menacingly at Zoro. "I sat in the hospital for three weeks and no one said _anything_! I can't believe this! You all fucking _lied_ to me! And _you_! I can't _believe_ that you… you…" Sanji started to blink. He brought a hand to his forehead and swayed slightly, bracing himself with his other hand.

"Sanji?" Zoro panicked, and bolted to kneel in front of the other man. "Sanji what's wrong?"

Sanji's eye lids were getting heavy and his head was spinning. He felt blackness creeping around the rim of his vision. He knew he was losing consciousness. "Don't touch me," he mumbled before darkness overtook him and he fell forward into Zoro's arms.

Zoro caught Sanji as he passed out. He slipped an arm underneath the blonde's legs and stood, heading towards their bedroom. Zoro tried not to notice the soft hair as it brushed against his cheek, or the feel of the others warm body curled against his chest. He hardened his heart and closed himself off as he laid Sanji's limp form on the bed. He pulled off Sanji's shoes and didn't look at the other until he had covered him in the soft blanket.

He told himself he should just leave now. Go to Ace's and drown himself in a bottle of whatever the older man had on hand. But he couldn't help sitting down. He couldn't help gazing at the face he knew and loved so much. He couldn't help running his fingers over silken locks, brushing them from closed eyes. He watched Sanji as he used to watch him, lying so peacefully next to him after a long day. He waited as he used to wait for Sanji to feel his presence and open his eyes. The blonde would smile sweetly at him and pull him in for a kiss. "_I missed you_…" he would say.

Zoro's heart broke anew and he felt the hot sting of tears as his chest caved in on itself. He turned away quickly and left to bedroom, shutting the door softly behind him.

**TBC**

_A/N_

_Puyallup Fair: It's an actual fair that happens in the Seattle area every year. It's way fun. __Lots of rides and games and animals.__ XD_

_Brook I don't think smokes in the manga/anime. Too bad, he smokes in my fic. He's a damn jazz musician folks! And I also don't think he's black, but meh. __Again- my fic, my rules.__ Muahahahaha!_


	6. Chapter 6

Seriously, your guy's reviews for last chapter made me ecstatic! I love all of you! Thank you so much!

**Chapter 6**

Ace opened the door to the house he shared with Vivi and came face to face with a certain green haired swordsman. He took one look at Zoro's bleary eyes, sagging shoulders, and sallow skin before moving aside and motioning for his friend to come in.

"Went that well huh?"

Zoro said nothing as he stepped passed the taller man and entered the house, so Ace took that as a yes and didn't press.

X x X x X

Sanji woke in a ludicrously comfortable bed covered in one of the softest blankets he'd ever had the privilege to be under. He sighed lazily and wondered absently if this bed belonged to a princess, and maybe he would pick her up again just so he would get to sleep in this bed a second time. He rolled to his side and nuzzled the pillow that smelled of… um…

When that familiar smell of pine and steel assaulted Sanji's senses, his conversation with Zoro came flooding back to him. It hit him like an upsurge, knocking a preverbal wind from his mind and making the cook curl in on himself. He felt his face heating up as wave after wave of embarrassment hit him like the tide during a storm. He had been with a man, and _everybody_ knew about it. His carefully constructed, meticulously crafted image was shot to shit. He was no longer the suave, uber cool, fuck with me and I'll kick your ass without breaking a sweat, Sanji. Gone was the charmer with a hint of mystery. Gone was the man who could talk even the most prudish of women into his bed, while their husbands cried crocodile tears of joy as they ate his food. Now, he was just Sanji the gay chef... Sanji the faggot…

He kind of wanted to die… either that, or move to India. He could whip up some fabulous Indian cuisine without straining his brain too much… and Indian girls were hot… Yeah, India sounded great…

He sat up slowly, mindful of the dull throbbing at the back of his head. He rested his hands in his lap and absently ran his fingers over the ridiculously soft sheets.

With Zoro? He had gone gay for _Zoro_?

Yeah, the guy was awesome and they seemed to have a lot in common. Yeah he felt like he could talk to him about pretty much anything, and Zoro seemed to understand Sanji better than anyone he'd ever known, besides Luffy that is. But that was more best friend material than anything else. What the fuck had happened that had made him traverse the _infinitely_ large gap from friendship to _sleeping with him_. It had better be good… it had better be _fucking_ good.

The reason… not the… stop thinking about it.

Sanji shook his head as if to clear it and pulled himself out of the bed. He wanted a hot shower and something to eat before he thought about this anymore. He moved into the master bath and flicked on the light. The room had a Zen feel to it. A Kohler vessel on top of teak wood made up the sink, cool green walls and pebble tile floor gave the space an organic feel. The shower was big enough for two people to wash comfortably at once; it was equipped with dual shower heads and everything. The tub was also a decent size, surrounded by that same pebble tile as the fl- _oh god, there was a TV_? A _TV_ mounted on the wall!

Sanji's head spun, but he managed to find the towels and somehow figured out which combination of dials turned the water in the shower hot. He stood beneath the spray until his fingers started to wrinkle and his back was red and raw. After washing his hair and scrubbing his skin, he stepped out and made his way back to the bedroom with a large green towel around his waist. He messed with his hair in front of the mirror for a bit and then went about finding clothes.

The low dresser across from the bed seemed to be the best place to start. Sanji opened the top left hand drawer, and found nothing but white, black and green boxers. He closed the drawer quickly, but couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Zoro wearing green silk boxers.

The top right hand drawer held boxers that were no doubt his. Blues and blacks, some decorated with hearts or kisses. He pulled out a pair of light blue boxer briefs and slipped them on. After a few minutes of inspection, Sanji came to the conclusion that the left side of the dresser was Zoro's and the right was his. In the back of his mind he wondered why this whole thing wasn't creeping him out, but he quickly chalked it up to shock and fatigue.

He found clean jeans, an undershirt, and socks in the drawers before moving to the closet to find a shirt. One look gave away that again, the left side was Zoro's. He would never allow that much green in his wardrobe. He shuffled though a myriad of button ups and sweaters before he selected a soft grey pullover. He was about to head out to the kitchen, when the suits at the back caught his eye. He gasped and pushed the door open further.

"Holy shit…" he breathed.

They were beautiful, elegant, 1950's style, High Twisted black suits. Two pin stripe, two solid black, and one charcoal. All of them were easily over five hundred dollars.

"Holy Jesus… Mother of… these _cannot_ me mine…"

X x X x X

"But if he didn't attack you, that's a good thing right?"

Ace watched Zoro despairingly as he downed what was left of his Jack Daniel's. The swordsman placed the empty bottle on the counter, only to pick up the Jagermeister and polish off half of that with a couple swallows.

Zoro shook his head. "It means he's still really weak and he's pretending to be better than he is. You know how he was always doing that shit after really rough matches."

Ace nodded. It was true, Sanji never liked to show weakness of any kind. He would tear muscles all up and down the side of his legs and even crack bones, but he would stand the whole rest of the tournament just to show it didn't hurt.

Ace looked out the window and heard the slosh of the bottle. A few minutes passed before the older man turned to see Zoro frowning into his lap.

"What, Zoro?" he asked.

"Well… he was pissed… obviously…" Zoro started slow, his words starting to slur. "But he seemed more pissed we lied to him than anything else…"

"None of us lied to him! We-"

"Not telling him something that's important is the same as lying," Zoro interrupted. He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face. Zoro could hold his liquor like a champ, but anyone would be feeling _something_ after drinking almost an entire bottle of Jager.

"It's just I thought he would fight me more on the whole… he's gay- we were having sex- thing… but he was more interested in the whole me not telling him… thing…"

Zoro trailed off and the look on his face scared Ace more than he wanted to admit. The older man put a hand on Zoro's shoulder.

"Just give it some time bro," Ace said softly. "Didn't Sanji make the first move the first time? Maybe he'll do it again?"

Zoro growled. "We were around each other all the time then. He got used to me and liked that he could really cut loose on when we were sparring." He took another long swallow. "Now, we're starting from scratch. He doesn't know me and he's not going to want to be around me at all…"

Ace studied the countertop and pondered Zoro's last statement while the other tipped the bottle back again.

"Well… sparring… I bet he'd still do that."

Zoro looked at him under heavy lids.

"Yeah, he pro'ly would," the swordsman slurred. "But thisstime I think I really would lose my balls."

X x X x X

Sanji leaned against the counter, shoving the last of his omelet into his mouth. It had been surreal cooking in this kitchen. At every utensil he had pulled out, every pot or pan he had laid eyes on, a voice in the back of his head would say, _Wow, that's the same one I would have gotten… _Then he would have to remind himself that he _had_ gotten all those things. This was _his_ kitchen. It wasn't some fancy heiress' house where he would drool in envy as he made breakfast, and then cry as he left at the loss of such fabulous cook wear.

This place probably made for some incredible dinner parties.

After he finished, he washed his dishes and moved into the living room. He had noticed the shelf of CDs and DVDs and was curious as to what had been released recently. He glanced over rows and rows of Kung Fu and samurai movies, followed by almost two shelves of action adventure. Sanji grinned as he noticed his horror collection had increased dramatically. He was a sucker for a good horror flick, and wasn't afraid to admit it.

On the next shelf Sanji found a collection of titles he had never heard of before. He ran his fingers over the DVDs, reading the strange titles: Latter Days, Law of Desire, _Beautiful Thing_. He plucked a movie called Velvet Goldmine off the shelf and read the back. The blonde's eyes widened and he scrambled to put the movie back where it was. He stepped back and wiped his hands on his jeans like he had touched something dirty. That shelf was all… gay movies… Holy shit he had an entire _shelf_ of gay movies!

Sanji turned around and as he eyed the large couch facing the TV, a thought occurred to him.

Had he sat on that couch and watched these movies with Zoro? Had he… had he _cuddled_ with Zoro? If they had cuddled on the couch… did that mean that maybe they had… done _other things_ on the couch?

Sanji suddenly felt the urge to get out of the living room. But when he entered the hallway he realized he was heading for the bedroom. Well, even if they hadn't done it on the couch, they had _definitely_ done it in the bedroom! What was he thinking! He turned around and headed for the kitchen. No, he stopped, He knew that if he spent most of his time in the kitchen, he had no doubt been molested once or twice on the counter… Okay, kitchen was out. Bathroom? Oh _fuck_ that shower. He thought about the dining room, but quickly decided against it. He was a romantic at heart, and that view was a lover's dream.

Oh God… had he been _romantic_ _with_ _Zoro_?

Nowhere in the apartment was safe. Sanji's eye began to twitch nervously and he decided a walk was probably good for him. He grabbed his jacket off the couch, slipped on his shoes, and headed towards the door. He stopped at a small table when he saw a note written in a quick, scratchy scrawl.

_Sanji, _

_Here's your phone. I updated all the contacts for you. I also left the apartment key. Just please don't go anywhere by yourself._

_Zoro_

Sanji picked up the keys and pocketed the phone. He slipped out the door and made his way down to the lobby. There was a young man, probably around the same age as Sanji, sitting at the desk. He was skinny with dark hair and was wearing a very nice tan suit. When he saw Sanji, his face lit up and he shot to his feet.

"Oh my God! Sanji!" he cried and ran around the side of the desk to capture the blonde in a fierce hug.

Sanji was stunned into immobility as the man pulled away and gave him a once over. Though he had the presence of mind to glance down at the man's name tag. _Daniel_.

"They told me you had woken up, but it was so hard to believe!" Daniel's blue eyes sparkled. "You look so good! Skinny as ever, but not like you've been in a coma for a year! I bet Zoro is just _thrilled_ isn't he?"

Sanji blinked and tried to stop his head from spinning.

"Um," he murmured, "yeah, Zoro's pretty… thrilled right now…"

Daniel hugged him again and Sanji thought about how weird it was that he was being hugged by a full grown man in public.

"God, I'm so happy for you two! Zoro has been so depressed these last few months." He pulled away again and stepped back. "I don't think I've ever been able to actually _see_ heartache before. I can't wait to talk to him again!"

Sanji just stood there blinking stupidly.

"He was… heartache? What?"

The dark – haired man put a hand on Sanji's shoulder. "Oh yeah, you could tell even if you didn't know you guys. Zoro would forget to eat for days at a time. Kyle and I would come up all the time and make sure he was ingesting something other than alcohol."

Sanji still couldn't form a proper thought.

"Kyle?"

Daniel frowned at Sanji, puzzled. "Yeah, Kyle, my partner? He works here too? We live on the second floor together?"

_Oh, should have known_. Sanji shook his head and forced a smile. "That's right, I'm sorry. There's some stuff I don't remember." He tapped lightly on his head.

Daniel smiled and put a comforting hand on Sanji's shoulder. It was all the cook could do to not flinch away from it.

"I understand sweetie. You call me if you need anything okay? I gotta get back to work."

_Sweetie_?

Sanji nodded and mumbled his thanks before he moved towards the door, desperate to get outside.

The crisp air hit his face and cheeks with a familiar bite. He breathed in the salty sea air and closed his eyes. He loved Seattle because anywhere you went you could smell the sea. It reminded him of when he was younger, living on a ship and helping his father in the kitchen. He descended the steps at the front of the building and moved down the street.

A stroll through Capitol Hill would bring into view a wide diversity of people, with couples walking dogs, punks hanging out on street corners, and small groups sporting tie dye and dreadlocks playing an assortment of djembes and acoustic guitars. In the evenings, club-goers from all over Seattle and Bellevue would visit the scene for a night out.

Sanji had always loved Seattle night life. The neighborhood featured copious amounts of entertainment, with many bars hosting live music and with numerous fringe theatres. Arts and music were the life blood of this city, as they were for Sanji himself. His one passion besides cooking and – god, before Zoro – women.

Sanji dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out his cigarettes. He lit one expertly and sucked the nicotine into his lungs as he passed numerous retail stores, boutiques, and the occasional art gallery.

It only took him a few minutes to realize he was being followed.

X x X x X

"I'm home sweetie!" Zoro heard Vivi call from the doorway and fought the urge to crush the bottle between his fingers. When would he hear Sanji saying that to him again? Would he ever?

"We're in here Vivi!" Ace called by his side.

Vivi turned the corner and her smile faltered when she saw Zoro.

"Oh, Zoro…" her hand came to her mouth. "Are you okay?"

Zoro shook his head slowly and accepted the hug the pretty girl offered him. He looked over her shoulder as another beautiful blond stepped into the rec room.

"Hi Kaya," Zoro said quietly.

Kaya gave him a small wave but remained silent.

"Haven't seen you in a while, Kaya," Ace smiled cheerfully. "How've you been?"

Kaya shrugged and looked at the floor.

"Alright I guess…" her voice was like a soft breeze. "Things have been hectic at the hospital."

"Are you coming tomorrow?" Ace asked. "Sanji's gonna cook."

Zoro looked at him with a pained glare. "I don't think he's gonna want to-"

"Oh he's coming," Vivi crossed her arms and stomped her foot. How she managed to do that and remain regal was beyond Zoro. "He promised us, and Sanji never breaks a promise."

"I don't know if I can you guys." Kaya said softly behind Vivi.

Vivi turned around and frowned at her friend.

"Can't?" she asked with her hands on her hips. "Or won't?"

Kaya looked at the floor as her shoulders sagged.

"You're gonna have to face him sooner or later, Kaya," Ace added. "You have the same friends."

"I know," Kaya almost whispered. "But last time Usopp and I saw each other, he was so mad…"

Zoro sat up straight and twisted the cap back on the bottle. He growled and stood, swaying slightly. As he moved toward the couch, he muttered over his shoulder.

"At least Usopp fucking remembers who you are."

Kaya gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh… I'm so sorry, Zoro."

Zoro waved a hand over his shoulder and sat down with a thump. He sighed heavily and put an arm over his eyes.

"It's fine," he mumbled. "Make up for it by coming tomorrow."

Kaya looked at the floor and nodded slowly.

"Alright"

X x X x X

Sanji puffed on his cigarette and stood pretending to admire the watches in the window of a small jewelry shop. He had seen the black Ford turn the corner after him as he made his way down the street, and then again a few blocks down. He had walked in several circles, trying to move onto one-way streets to shake the car, but it kept showing up behind him. He had tried to get a glimpse of whoever was driving, but of course, the windows were tinted.

So now Sanji watched the car park about fifty feet behind him on his side of the road. He was getting tired of this. He turned down an ally, and slipped behind a large garbage bin. He leaned against the cold bricks and waited for the car to pull up. He blew out smoke as he heard the engine turn into the dead end. He listened as the car door opened and voices came closer to his hiding spot.

Cigarette hanging from his lips and hands comfortably in the pockets of his jeans, Sanji moved into the open. He came face to face with four rough looking guys in similar outfits: jeans and black and white sports jackets.

Sanji snickered. "You guys suck at tailing."

The tallest of the four sneered at Sanji and moved forward. He had a wicked scar above his left eyebrow that pulled the skin and made his left eye seem bigger than his right.

"So Roronoa's little bitch is awake again," Scarface said in a gravelly voice. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Sanji stood his ground and pulled smoke into his lungs.

"You guys look like thugs from a bad porn, you know that right?"

The guy from the front passenger seat reached into his pocket and drew a knife. Sanji glanced at it thinking how ridiculous this situation was. What the hell Zoro had done to piss these guys off so much? Where these more of Bones' guys? Why were they after him if it was Zoro who they needed to get rid of? God! This was fucking insane!

"You better keep your distance guys," Sanji said calmly. "I'm having a really shitty day."

X x X x X

Zoro sat on the couch, letting his mind drift in a comfortable haze of alcohol induced buzz. He wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, drunk, but he had ingested enough to relax his muscles and calm his knotted stomach. He sat on the couch, absently listening to Ace and the girls talk about med school and some changes being made to the fire station.

Sanji… awake at last. Healthy, walking… and hating him… Was Sanji going to ask him to move out? Was Sanji even going to _talk_ to him again?

Rain started to fall outside the window. Hard rain for Seattle, but not unheard of for February. Zoro watched the rivulets make their way down the glass, creating intricate maps with their progression.

Maybe it was because of the alcohol, or maybe it was just the fact that a certain blond was never off his mind, but the rain on the window reminded Zoro of the sweat that collected on Sanji's shoulder blades. After a particularly hard day at the restaurant, Sanji would come home and Zoro would strip them both without a word. He would lay Sanji on the bed and would rub his back until the cook was a loose pile of watery bones. Their lovemaking would be slow and lazy, and Zoro would watch the sweat slowly trail down the pale skin of his lover's back, to disappear around a ribcage that poked out maybe a little too much. Sanji would fall asleep immediately but Zoro would stay awake long after, trailing his fingers over every inch of that milky skin.

A clap of thunder startled Zoro from his memories and he gazed out the window at the black clouds. It was only four or five in the afternoon and it was already dark.

Zoro hoped Sanji had been able to rest for a while, and hopefully if he needed anything he would call… someone…

X x X x X

Sanji was drenched, and extremely pissed.

All he wanted was to take a nice walk to stretch his muscles and get some fresh air. Now he was stuck fighting a bunch of punks with bad fashion sense. Really, if this Bones guy wanted him out of the picture he should have sent someone that at least had an _idea_ of how to fight.

Two of the guys were still standing: Scarface, and the chubbier guy with sunglasses. Sanji had dispatched the others with a few swift kicks to the throat and jaw, and they now lay at his feet unconscious in a few centimeters of water. Unfortunately, the year without training had made Sanji's muscles stiff and he wasn't as flexible as he had once been. His inner thighs protested his movements and he was beginning to feel slightly light headed. He put on a good show though. He stood lazily and crushed his spent cigarette beneath his shoe.

"You know," Sanji said as he lit up again. The rain made it hard to get a spark from the lighter, but Sanji was a pro. "I may have been in a coma for a year, but it doesn't make me a fucking cripple." He blew out a stream of smoke for emphasis. "Come at me with all ya got."

Sunglasses did. He hurled himself at Sanji, trying to use his weight as leverage, but the blonde easily deflected him with a twist to the side. He stuck his foot out and the bigger man toppled over and hit his face on the trash bin. His sunglasses broke and blood trickled down between his eyes.

"Kinda dark to be wearing sunglasses, asshole," Sanji muttered.

The chubby idiot came at him again the same way and Sanji felt Scarface closing in behind his back. Sanji ducked and shot his leg out, tripping Chubby _again_ and sending him crashing into Scarface. The taller man was quick to react though, and threw the fatter man off him. Poor Chubby smashed his head against the front of the car and fell to the ground. He lay unmoving in the rushing water as it headed for the gutter.

Scarface stood sneering at Sanji as the blonde straightened, hands back in his pockets, and cigarette hanging from his lips.

Sanji had just come up with a great burn to fling at this guy, but before he could say anything his vision swam and he almost lost his footing. He steadied himself as best he could but his heart quickened. He tried to focus on the cold water as his hit his face and made chilling trails down his back.

_Fuck, I'm too weak to be doing this…_

Sanji brushed his hair to the side and plucked the cigarette from his mouth. He was going to have to get a little serious if he wanted to live.

"I don't really get it," he said. "If you guys work for Bones… isn't Zoro the one you should be attacking? Not that I can't handle you of course. I'm just curious."

Scarface sneered and ran a hand over his face to brush the rain from his eyes.

"We _are_ attacking Roronoa," he rasped. "We wanna fuck with him but not hurt him. Mr. One wants Roronoa to compete this year, but lose. Losing to Mr. One on purpose would be the ultimate disgrace for that asshole."

Sanji frowned through his dizziness. "Still not understanding why I'm getting jumped in the rain."

The scarred man looked taken back for a moment. Sanji almost laughed at his confused expression.

"Isn't it obvious?" Scarface growled. "What better way to get Roronoa to listen, then to attack his lover?"

Sanji's ground his teeth. There was no point in trying to set this guy right, he wouldn't listen anyway. Besides, he needed to finish this up before he passed out. He could feel his legs shaking and his vision was getting a bit clouded.

"Okay, well," Sanji sighed. "Let's get this over with. I kinda want to go home and make dinner."

That did it. He pissed off Scarface enough to charge him. The big man came at him with a little more skill than Chubby had, but still not enough to best Sanji; even in his weakened state.

Sanji side stepped and brought his leg up to smash into his opponent's head but he was deflected by a large hand. Scarface managed to catch his shin in mid flight. The thug grinned evilly at Sanji, thinking he had won, before the lanky blonde flipped backwards, bending his back like a rubber band. Sanji's other foot connected with the larger man's chin and sent him flying back against the car.

Scarface's unconscious body soon joined Chubby's in the gutter.

Sanji panted and leaned against the black Ford. His legs were on fire, and his head was pounding painfully. His whole body felt ready to collapse as he fished for another cigarette. He knew he wouldn't be able to make it back home, so he resigned himself to finish his smoke and call someone to give him a ride. The humiliation would be intense, but passing out and getting found by the cops would no doubt be worse.

He pulled the cell phone from his pocket and, without thinking, hit send on the first name in his contact list.

Ace Portgus.

X x X x X

Ace pulled his phone out of his pocket when '_Alive'_ from _Disturbed_ started playing. He flipped it open and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?"

Zoro looked lazily up at his friend, hoping it wasn't his work calling to tell him he had to come in tonight. He blinked at the strange expression on Ace's face when their eyes met.

"Hey, what's up Sanji?"

Zoro eyes opened wide, his buzz gone as he listened to the one sided conversation.

Ace frowned and looked out the window. "Pick you up? Where are you?"

Zoro sat up but stayed tensely on the edge of the couch cushion. Vivi and Kaya were looking at Ace with worry.

Ace stood and his gaze turned back to Zoro. His eyes were wide, and he ran a hand over his mouth.

"What do you mean you don't know? Are you _outside_ in this shit?"

Zoro shot to his feet and lunged at Ace. "Give me the phone!" he whispered, but it felt like he was screaming.

Ace knocked his hands away and held up a finger. His look said 'Don't fucking touch me or you'll really regret it'.

"Yeah," Ace said. "I know the jewelry shop, it's like Toni's or Tammy's or something."

"Ace, _please_!" Zoro wanted to roar, but somehow he kept his voice soft.

Ace's hand covered the receiver and he fixed Zoro with a fiery glare. "Shut up!" he hissed. He removed his hand, but looked intently at Zoro as he spoke. "Yeah… yeah the ally beside Toni's Jewelry… Look for a black Ford."

Zoro turned and sprinted out of the rec room. He ripped the front door open and flew down the steps, uncaring of the rain that pelted his face and neck. He was soaked within seconds. He heard Ace call out to him from the doorway.

"Zoro! You want me to follow in the jeep?"

Zoro yelled back over his shoulder. "Whatever!"

The swordsman ran through the streets, cutting though traffic and running between buildings. The rain seeped into his eyes and clouded his vision. He almost collided with a man with a large red umbrella walking his dog.

Why had Sanji left? Where was he going? Why did he need to be picked up? Shit!!

Zoro's heart felt like it was going to explode. Sanji had called, so it wasn't like he was lying unconscious somewhere, but it didn't stop the swordsman from frantically trying to get to him. He hadn't felt anything like this since he had pulled Sanji's body from his car. He ran blindly ahead, fear tearing at his insides.

He saw Toni's. Brakes squealed and a horn blared as he cut through the street. He turned down the alley and stopped dead in his tracks as his brain tried to take in the scene before him.

Sanji stood leaning against the black Ford, his cigarette was hanging from his lips and his hands were in his pockets. His hair was plastered to his face and his shoulders sagged like he carried a large weight on his back. He was deathly pale and dark circles had started to form underneath his eyes.

Surrounding the cook were several bodies lying in the rising water. Two of them were bleeding, leaving a murky trail across the alley into the gutter.

_What the fuck…_ Zoro stood, breathing heavily, trying to figure out what the hell had happened.

Sanji's gaze lifted from the ground to look at Zoro. The blonde sighed softly and slowly took the cigarette from his mouth.

"I remembered right after I hung up the phone, that you were at Ace's," he blew out a stream of smoke. "Sorry…"

Sanji's voice shook him from his stupor. Zoro moved to stand in front of Sanji, his hands balled into fists.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" His voice shook. "I told you not to go anywhere alone!"

"Don't tell me what to do, Zoro." Sanji replied, but without much bite.

Zoro noticed how Sanji had a white – knuckled grip on to the side of the Ford. The blonde was about to pass out again. Zoro's face softened and he moved closer.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice barely loud enough to hear over the rain.

Sanji closed his eyes. "I'm fine," his eyes started to droop. "I just… need help getting home... I don't think I can walk."

Zoro closed the space between them and took the cigarette from Sanji's fingers. The blonde tried to move away but his knees buckled and would have slid to the ground if Zoro hadn't caught him. He struggled a bit and tried to push the taller man away.

"Don't touch me…" Sanji's voice was strained.

Zoro watched Sanji's eyes flutter like he was falling asleep before the blonde's body went limp. Zoro reacted quickly and got an arm under the thinner man's legs. He lifted Sanji up against his chest, bridal style, and tucked the cook's head under his chin.

"You said you need help getting home," Zoro said. "Let me help you."

Sanji let out a defeated moan and relaxed his body. Shortly after, he started shaking violently in the swordsman's arms.

Zoro turned and headed for the street just as Ace pulled up in his Jeep. The older man jumped out and opened the back door so Zoro could slide inside with Sanji on his lap.

Sanji tried very hard on the way back to the apartment to _not_ think about how warm Zoro was, or how safe he felt in the swordsman's arms. He pressed his face against the hot skin of Zoro's neck, and felt the larger man's breath hitch.

When they reached their building, Ace opened the car door and followed Zoro up the steps.

"You want me to wait for you?" he asked.

Zoro shook his head. "I can't leave him alone tonight. I'm gonna stay here no matter how much he bitches. I'll come over in the morning."

Ace pulled open the door and distracted the woman at the desk while Zoro took Sanji across the lobby to the elevators. Sanji was conscious, but said nothing until Zoro had carried him through the apartment, set him down on the side of the bathtub, and started to strip him of his wet clothes.

"Stop, Zoro…" he whispered, too exhausted to have much venom behind his words.

"Shut up cook," Zoro said firmly. "I have to get you warm, and you don't have anything I haven't seen a thousand times anyway."

Sanji opened his mouth to cuss the swordsman out, but his voice lodged in his throat when Zoro stripped off his own shirt. He sat gawking at the huge scar running from Zoro's left shoulder all the way to his right hip. The cut was clean, like it had been made with a knife… or a sword…

"Holy shit…" Sanji finally managed to whisper.

Zoro stopped in the middle of pulling off Sanji's shoes and noticed where the blonde was looking. He stood upright and waited to see what the cook would do.

Sanji, as if in a trance, lifted his hand to run his fingers over the rough tissue. Somehow, his fingers remembered this feeling. Gnarled skin, with smooth indents where the stitches had been made. His fingers ran over the knotted flesh as memory tugged the back of his mind.

"Hawk…" he said softly. "Hawk did this to you…"

Zoro's breath caught.

"You… you remember?" the swordsman's heart was pounding painfully in his chest. Any louder and he was sure the cook would be able to hear it.

Sanji slowly shook his head. "Not really… but I… I know Hawk did this…" He pulled his hand away. "I was there… wasn't I?"

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, we'd just met. I challenged Hawk... I even asked for real swords… This is what I got for being a hothead and an idiot."

Sanji still couldn't look at Zoro. His gaze moved to the floor as another wave of shivers hit him. Zoro finished removing his shoes and socks before lifting him off the counter and pulling him to the shower. He was thoughtful enough to leave both their jeans on, and Sanji appreciated it more than he could say. The warm water felt so good against his skin, that for several minutes, he forgot whose body he was pressed against. He just stood, almost in a trance, as the warmth spread to his limbs. His forehead rested on Zoro's muscular shoulder as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

Zoro on the other hand, was fighting a tidal wave of emotions. Sanji remembered Hawk cutting him. Well, not the actual memory, but _he had known Hawk had cut him_. The swordsman stood holding his love against his scarred chest, wishing with every fiber of his being for Sanji to remember. Remember him.

He pressed his lips against Sanji's temple and let himself be lost in the moment of heat and water and the glorious feel of Sanji's skin.

**TBC **


	7. Chapter 7

Thank all of you again for your reviews! Especially Susumi and vampire-otaku1! I love your guys! The next chapter will probably be a little while in coming because I need to finish 'I Come To You In Pieces'. But no worries, when that's done, I'll devote my time to this one!

Love you all!

**Chapter 7**

Sanji sat curled on the couch with his forehead resting in his hand. Zoro had given him fresh clothes, t-shirt, sweats, socks, boxers, and then wrapped him in the comforter from the bed. Sanji had kicked the swordsman out of the bedroom insisting he could manage himself, so Zoro had made him some hot chocolate while he struggled with dressing himself. The blonde sipped from the hot mug and sighed softly as he closed his eyes.

"I taught you to make hot chocolate didn't I?" Sanji said softly.

"Yeah," Zoro said as he started a fire in the black-bricked fireplace. "A cup and a half of milk brought to a boil, add a third cup of water and turn down the heat. Two drops of almond extract and a pinch of cinnamon. But I didn't melt the chocolate in that fucking double boiler thing, I hate that. I just added syrup."

"Ah," Sanji smiled as he raised the mug to his lips. "I thought something was off." He took a small sip and let the warm liquid roll over his tongue. "It's alright though; it's still good… Thank you."

Zoro sat carefully on the love seat avoiding Sanji's eyes. "You're welcome."

A long silence stretched between the two men as one tried to think of something to say, while the other prayed the other would keep silent. Sanji watched Zoro chew the inside of his lip and watch the fire. The swordsman's eyes reflected the orange light like black pearls. His almond skin turned that timeless golden tone as only tan skin did in firelight. Sanji found himself watching the other man's fingers lace together. The sight was fascinating; it was obvious Zoro's strength lay in his hands. The swordsman's subtle movements sent muscles rippling up his forearms and gave the illusion his skin was liquid. That's what it was… every time Zoro moved he was like liquid.

_Well_, Sanji thought to himself, _at least I still had enough pride to __only go gay for someone really hot__…_

Zoro felt the cook's eyes on him and wanted to scream. His gaze was burning a hole in his side. He sat for as long as he could before he felt he would break if Sanji didn't turn away.

"You should go to bed," Zoro said quietly. "You're not going to get better if you don't rest."

"I've been resting for a year." Sanji said into his mug. "I want answers to some questions."

Zoro sighed and looked at the floor. He knew he should be grateful that Sanji was talking to him at all, but he couldn't help but feel trepidation for what his questions might be. He wouldn't be able to handle it if Sanji started asking questions about his sexuality. Zoro had no answers for any of that. He still had no idea why the cook had been in love with him. He couldn't even explain why it had happened in the first place.

"What do you want to know?" Zoro forced out.

Sanji leaned back against the cushion and pulled the blanket tighter with his free hand.

"How did we meet?"

The question was so simple, so innocent that Zoro was momentarily dumfounded. He wanted to know how they met? He didn't want to know how they started sleeping together or why or when?

"Um," Zoro blinked and sat up straighter. He realized this was Sanji trying to understand instead of deny… and that was a very good thing. "I've known Ace forever. We've been friends since grade school, so I sort of knew Luffy too."

"How come I'd never heard of you?" Sanji interrupted. "If not from Ace, at least from Luffy."

Zoro shrugged. "I don't know. I never really hung around Luffy until recently. I went to high school with Chopper and Usopp but graduated before them. I moved to Japan with my uncle right away so that's why we never crossed paths."

"I still don't understand how we didn't run into each other in high school," Sanji said. "Once Luffy started dating Nami, we got introduced to Vivi, who knew Kaya who was dating Usopp. I knew Usopp and Chopper in high school… but somehow I missed you."

"I didn't hang out with anyone except Ace," Zoro explained. "I didn't like crowds or parties or anything… and from what you've told me you were quite a party whore."

Sanji glared and finished off the rest of his lukewarm chocolate.

"Let's get back to my question. How did we end up meeting?"

Zoro leaned back and crossed his hands over his chest. "I came back from Japan two years ago, right around the time you got the head chef position at Rocksou. Ace got me a job at his dad's dojo teaching kendo and basic martial arts. We met one day when I came in late for my class…"

Sanji watched Zoro's face soften and then, to the cook's surprise, break out in a toothy grin. He sat there confused as the swordsman actually started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Sanji asked, feeling like the punch line of a bad joke.

Zoro finally raised his eyes from the floor and looked at Sanji. "The first time we met, I came into the dojo late and in my rush, I ran into you and made you spill coffee all over yourself. You had just come from work and had this nice suit on and this flashy blue shirt with black lines-"

"You made me spill coffee on my _seventy – five dollar Theory shirt_!" Sanji almost screeched. "You clumsy-assed fucknut!"

In response, Zoro started howling with laughter. Sanji was taken aback, he watched the other man as he leaned forward and held his sides as his mirth overtook him.

Sanji was stunned again. "_Now_ what's so funny?" he asked incredulously.

Zoro leaned back again as his laughing waned but the smile stayed on his face. Sanji tried very hard not to think about how well that look suited the swordsman.

"That's exactly what you said to me back then too."

Sanji's eyes widened and he felt his cheeks flush a little. He didn't like to think he was so predictable. He tried to ignore Zoro's last comment as he slouched in his seat and pulled the blanket around him as he pouted.

"So what happened?"

"What do you think?" Zoro chuckled again. "What would be the first thing you would do to someone who made you spill coffee on your expensive shirt?"

"I'd kick his ass," Sanji replied.

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, that's what you did."

Sanji looked up in surprise again. "I did?"

Zoro nodded. "I underestimated you. You looked like some pretty boy come to take a kickboxing class to impress some girl. You were so skinny I never guessed you could break my face with your feet… Ace made fun of me for weeks…"

Sanji couldn't help but smile at that mental image. He had kicked Zoro's ass? That was kind of cool… He sat up a little straighter and grinned down at his hands.

"Don't look so fucking proud of yourself," Zoro muttered, but there was no real bite to his words. "I got you back real good."

Sanji suddenly felt impatient to regain his strength. For the last few years, he had managed to outlearn all of his teachers and sensei. The dojo's he had been a part of never had members he could spar with using his full potential; no one he could cut loose with. Zoro, on the other hand, was probably a great sparring partner. The thought of practicing his combinations while dodging a sword excited him like nothing else had in a long time.

Oh, wait… but this was Zoro… The same Zoro that, only a few hours ago, had confessed to him they had been lovers. How were they going to work around this problem? Sanji knew he couldn't just distance himself, they had the same friends. He didn't have a job, so moving out wasn't really an option unless he was willing to live with Ace or maybe Chopper. Besides, _he really didn't want to leave this apartment! _Everything was so perfect! It was everything he had ever wanted! If he refused to be with Zoro, would the swordsman make him leave? Move out? It would make sense considering Zoro had been paying for it for a year.

"What are you thinking?" Zoro's voice cut into his thoughts.

Sanji looked up and met Zoro's worried eyes. The pleasant smile was gone, replaced by that same look he'd had when he was trying to tell Sanji about their relationship.

"I was…" Sanji murmured. "Thinking about the apartment…"

Zoro had gone through so many emotions in the last hour that he felt his brain was going to break. He had experienced sheer terror when hearing Sanji was out in the storm, then despair as he held his love in the shower but wasn't able to touch him the way he wanted. Now, he had just gone from uncomfortable to deliriously happy at the memory of Sanji's furious face, and then immediately plunged into the realm of brutal confusion.

"The apartment?" Zoro asked as his head spun.

Sanji looked at him funny and seemed to trip over his words.

"Yeah… um… how long have we lived here?"

Zoro felt his stomach knot as he heard the uncertainty in Sanji's voice.

"Is that code for 'how long have we been sleeping together'?" He didn't mean to sound so bitter, but his voice and his emotions were betraying him. "You can just ask me you know. I'm not ashamed of it."

He saw Sanji's eye's narrow, the way they always would before he launched into a fit. All that was missing was the way the blonde would grind his teeth around his cigarette. Zoro waited with a clenched jaw for the barrage of cussing and tantrum that Sanji would hurl at him.

But the fight never came. Sanji just ran a hand over his slightly flushed face and looked away.

"Can we avoid that topic for a while, Zoro?" Sanji murmured. "I'm trying really hard to be okay with all of this… but I feel like I'm losing my mind a little. Just… go easy… please…"

Zoro stared. He wanted to cry, or break something, he wasn't sure which. He was being an asshole and he didn't know how to stop. Sanji was trying to meet him halfway and he wasn't cooperating. What the hell was wrong with him? He had never thought when the two of them finally sat down and talked that _he_ would be the one resisting. Was he that afraid? And if so, what exactly was he afraid of?

"I'm sorry…" Zoro said softly, but not sure exactly what he was apologizing for, or to whom.

Sanji looked at him slowly and nodded.

"It's okay… I know this is hard on you too…"

Zoro couldn't look at him anymore. His eyes turned away and glanced around the room trying to find some kind of footing before he toppled off an emotional precipice. He surveyed the bookshelf, and suddenly a thought struck him. He shot to his feet and crossed the living room to pluck a photo album off the shelf. He turned back to a confused Sanji and moved forward tentatively.

"Here," he handed the blonde the album. "Since you can't remember."

Sanji took the book with a slight frown and set it in his lap. Opening it to the first page, Zoro was rewarded with a small gasp from Sanji's lips. He knew the fist picture was a good one. He had taken it himself. It showed Sanji in his uniform, standing in the ring at NASKA two years before. Blood ran from the side of his head and a dark bruise colored the side of his jaw, but it made him look no less than terrifying. The blonde had a look of absolute determination set on his face, his eyes flashed hungrily as he stood tense and ready for the next attack.

"Is this…" Sanji breathed. "Is…"

"That was your final match," Zoro explained. "I couldn't get pictures of your others cause I had my own. Shanks turned out to be retarded with a camera, so all the pictures he took we just threw away."

Sanji stared at the picture and smirked. "Well, you seem fairly good… I look really cool."

Zoro snorted. "I bitched the whole time… except when you won. I almost didn't get the next one."

Sanji turned the page to see himself with his hands in the air in triumph. His opponent lay at his feet clutching his jaw. He felt elation just by looking at his expression. Something he had worked so hard for and had finally achieved. A great sense of self pride welled up inside him and he smiled softly. Unfortunately it was short lived. He couldn't remember anything about his great victory and it saddened him to his core. He slowly looked up at Zoro who was watching him with his arms crossed. Sanji wanted so desperately to know about his match and here was someone who could tell him. He felt he could trust Zoro completely, but he was hesitant to open himself up.

But then again, he really did like Zoro, not in a romantic or emotional sense, but he definitely felt a connection with the other man. Sanji knew rekindling a bond with Zoro that was strictly friendship would no doubt hurt the swordsman, but… wasn't that better than severing all ties?

Sanji moved his hand to the cushion beside him, and silently prayed that he wasn't making a big mistake.

"Come here," he said softly.

Zoro paled and swayed on his feet. Sanji was worried for a second that the swordsman was going to fall over, but the taller man composed himself long enough to choke out.

"What?"

Sanji sat up straighter and crossed his long legs underneath him.

"Come sit down and tell me about this match. I can't remember anything and I want to know what happened."

Slowly, so agonizingly slow, Zoro moved and sat on the couch beside him. The swordsman took the album and placed it between their thighs. Sanji noticed Zoro's hands were shaking slightly as he flipped through the pages but pushed it out of his mind. He listened intently as the other replayed the match in surprising detail, using the correct terms for Savate combinations and seemed to have a good grasp on the point system.

The evening moved along nicely after that. Zoro found comfort in telling Sanji about his matches. The blonde asked many questions and seemed to enjoy listening. He even wanted to hear about Zoro's fights, which flustered and flattered the swordsman enough to blush and forget how to speak for several seconds. He talked until he realized Sanji's questions had ceased, and the blonde's weight had shifted closer to him. He turned and looked at Sanji for the first time since he sat on the couch. The other man's hands were curled in the blanket and his body slouched against the cushions. His eyes were drooping as he tried to keep himself awake.

Zoro's hand moved instinctively before he could stop himself to gently brush the bangs from Sanji's eyes. He held his breath as the blonde tensed under his touch. He pulled his hand away and felt a pang in his heart. He needed to control himself; he couldn't be doing things like that so carelessly, and he berated himself for it.

"Zoro…" Sanji whispered.

"I'm sorry," Zoro quickly said whishing he could disappear.

"No," Sanji shifted to turn towards the larger man. "It's okay." Zoro looked back at Sanji who was frowning at the blanket in his hands.

After a few minutes, Zoro murmured. "You keep getting that look on your face… Please tell me what you're thinking…"

Sanji sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Get me my cigarettes first."

Zoro stood and retrieved Sanji's pack and lighter from his jacket pocket in the bathroom. He returned to the living room to find Sanji had shed the blanket and was on his back with his legs pulled up and his head against the arm rest. He took his cigarettes and placed one between his lips. As the blonde lit up, Zoro moved to sit on the love seat.

"No," Sanji said around an exhale of smoke. "Come back over here. If I'm gonna have to talk about this, I don't want to feel like I'm yelling across the apartment."

Zoro stood obediently and moved back to the couch. He sat carefully next to Sanji as the thinner man tapped his ashes into his empty mug. Silence permeated the room again and Zoro's anxiety grew. Was this the part where Sanji started asking the questions he couldn't answer…? Or was this the part where he ended everything? Zoro's blood ran cold as that thought washed over him. Was Sanji going to tell him it would never work between them again and to start packing? If it was, Zoro was going to beat him to it. He wouldn't be able to listen to those words and not shatter, so he would suggest it first.

Sanji opened his mouth to speak, but Zoro cut him off.

"I know I make you uncomfortable, Sanji and I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I'm gonna stay here tonight to make sure you're okay, but I'm going back to Ace's in the morning. I'll take a couple days to get all my stuff out of here, but I'll try-"

Whatever Zoro was planning to say next was cut off by a powerful kick to his side. The swordsman doubled over grunting in pain. He looked up to see Sanji nonchalantly puffing on his cigarette, looking at him with a bored expression. Zoro tried to say something, but the pain rocketed up his side and started a dull throbbing in his head. So this was why he wanted Zoro to sit next to him…

Sanji sighed. "Would you shut the fuck up and let me say what I want to say before you launch yourself into another melodramatic monologue?"

Zoro coughed and sat up straighter. "You didn't have to fucking kick me, shit cook," he growled.

Sanji ignored him and sat up. The movement brought his body painfully close to Zoro's, and the swordsman tensed.

Sanji took another long drag from his cigarette before he spoke.

"Hn," Zoro taunted. "Now who's being melodramatic?"

"I said shut the fuck up," Sanji growled. "I wanted to say, before I was so rudely interrupted, that I really don't mind being around you. Even knowing what we were before… it doesn't bother me all that much. Well… it bothers me yeah but... not as much as it probably should…"

Zoro couldn't help his jaw from dropping in shock.

Sanji noticed and chuckled as he took another drag. The smoke curled around his face and played between the strands of blonde hair that hung over his eyes.

"I feel…" Sanji hesitated and Zoro's heart almost stopped. The pause made the swordsman feel like he was going to die. He wanted to grab the blonde's shoulders and shake him.

"I feel like there is a really strong connection between us," Sanji continued slowly. "Even though I don't remember you, I feel like we've been friends forever. No one has ever… No one has ever been able to match me when it comes to martial arts, and none of my friends have ever been even remotely interested in my style of fighting." With that he looked back up into Zoro's eyes. The intensity there jumpstarted Zoro's heart and electrified his nerves. "But… you like it… don't you, Zoro."

Zoro nodded. "I love watching you fight. I love it when you watch me… and then when we talk about it afterward… no one understands my goals like you do."

"I don't want to lose something like that… I don't think I'll ever find it again…" Sanji nodded and crushed his cigarette in his mug. He seemed like he had more to say so Zoro waited as patiently as he could. Finally, Sanji sighed and turned his gaze toward the fireplace. "I was also thinking just now about how you helped me walk… You were the only one… Everyone else who tried to help… I didn't feel like I could do it and no one made me feel like I really could. But you…"

Zoro felt a smile tug at his lips as he saw another quick glimpse of _his_ Sanji. The blonde let his barrier slip a little and the beautiful, mature man that he loved so much shone through underneath.

Sanji grabbed his pack and lit a second cigarette. "You knew exactly what to do. You made me _want_ to do it. You inspired me to do it by saying a bunch of shit that I'm sure no one else could have said… So… that tells me that we were really good friends besides everything else… weren't we?"

All Zoro could do was nod. He struggled to control his breathing as he dug through everything Sanji had just told him. "So what are you saying, Sanji?"

"I'm saying," Sanji said carefully. "That I want to give you a choice. I have some idea of how serious our relationship was based on this apartment and other things. But I don't think…" he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The way I am right now… I just don't think I'll ever-"

Zoro held up his hand. His heart beating agonizingly in his throat. "Please don't say that. I don't ever want to hear that… just tell me what this 'choice' is."

Sanji leaned forward. "Do you think we could be friends?"

Zoro frowned. "What?"

"I'm asking if you think you could be just friends with me… or would you rather we didn't see each other at all? Would that be easier for you?"

Zoro blinked and looked away. What did he want? If Sanji and he couldn't be together like they were… was it enough just to be with him? Or would that be more than his heart could take? Could he stand that?

"Zoro?" Sanji asked.

"Uh… give me a sec, I'm thinking." Zoro dug the heels of his palms into his eyes as his brain went ten directions at once. "If I say yes to being friends… what happens?"

"There's the room you use for your weights. We can move that stuff out here and that'll be my room. I lived on a ship long enough to be fine with a small space. We can both still live here, we'll train together, and we can still go to tourna-"

"Okay…"

Zoro felt Sanji's eyes on him. His hands were shaking, so he folded his arms. This arrangement would be hard. Being around Sanji and unable to touch him would probably drive him insane, but it was infinitely better than Sanji leaving and never looking back. And the thought of training with Sanji again was enough to brighten the swordsman's mood more than anything else in the past few weeks.

"Okay to be friends?" Sanji asked softly.

Zoro nodded. He looked sideways at Sanji and actually smiled. Sanji looked at him with wide eyes for a moment before he matched the smile.

"I'm a year behind on kicking your ass," Zoro said teasingly. "I don't think I could give all that up."

Sanji's face lit up then and Zoro's heart melted. He resolved himself in that moment that Sanji's smiles were now what he was going to live for.

X x X x X

The next morning found three young men, one firefighter, one engineer, and one medical student, climbing out of a jeep outside Zoro and Sanji's apartment. Chopper had insisted he come check up on Sanji and refused to go alone in case a certain couple of martial artists decided to have a fight. If that happened there was nothing he could do to stop them, so he begged Ace to come with him. Ace had agreed because Zoro was coming over to his place anyway.

Ace also happened to have a key in case they were both dead.

Usopp had tagged along because he had nothing else to do and felt that, as sick as it sounded, seeing a couple besides him and Kaya having trouble might make him feel a little better. Yeah, Sanji couldn't remember their relationship and that sucked and all, but Usopp was sure after Zoro and Sanji had beat the shit out of each other a few times, they'd be back to screwing each other into walls. The memories might be gone, but the love was definitely still there. Usopp had seen how Sanji looked at Zoro when he thought the swordsman wasn't looking.

It wasn't like Sanji had _cheated _on Zoro or anything…

The three stepped out of the elevator and made their way down the hall. Chopper tugged on Ace's jacket lightly as he bombarded the older man with questions for the third time that day.

"Was Sanji completely out when you drove him home last night? Did he seem flushed or pale? Did Zoro really have to carry him? Or was he able-"

"Chopper, chopper," Ace chuckled as they neared the apartment. "Calm down buddy, I don't really know anything. We'll be there in like two seconds, just wait."

"I'm sorry," Chopper practically bounced. "He doesn't have another physical therapy appointment for another two days, so I need to-"

A loud crash from Zoro and Sanji's apartment cut Chopper off, and Ace stopped dead in his tracks. Usopp held his breath and listened to another crash followed by a loud grunt presumably from Zoro. Shortly after, there was a loud thud and a pained "_Ah damnit_!" from Sanji.

"Oh shit," Ace breathed.

Chopper panicked and pushed Ace towards the door.

"Ace! They're killing each other! Quick open it!"

Usopp knew he wasn't being much help by running in a circle behind Ace and yelling at him to hurry up, but he had to do something, and waiting quietly was just not what he did best.

Ace finally found the spare key and opened the door. He burst inside with Chopper and Usopp right on his heels.

"Zoro! Sanji!" Ace called. "What the hell is going on!?"

"_Sanji_!" Chopper cried. "_You should be resting_!"

Usopp ran though the kitchen and stopped when he saw the scene in the open space beyond the dining room. Sanji was sprawled on a large blue workout mat, he was covered in sweat, but grinning like a mad man. Zoro looked about the same, only shirtless and crouched over Sanji's prone form. The two looked up when Usopp turned into the kitchen.

"Hey Usopp," Zoro said panting.

Usopp didn't know what the best course of action would be at this point. Should he cry because Sanji and Zoro were obviously sparring and that was a really good sign? Should he yell for Chopper because Sanji was definitely not ready for this yet? Or should he just take the easiest route to insanity and laugh. A good laugh might do him some good. Yes, he should probably just laugh.

""Hi guys," Usopp said between chuckles. "What the hell are you doing?"

Zoro stood and offered a hand to help Sanji up, just as Chopper and Ace barged into the kitchen.

"That's a good question!" Chopper wailed. "_What are you doing_?"

Zoro shrugged. "He said he wouldn't feed me unless I fought him."

Ace must have had the same thoughts as Usopp because he also began to laugh as well. Chopper on the other hand, put his hands on his hips and glared daggers.

"Sanji…" the youngest said in his scariest doctor voice.

Sanji put up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, Chopper," he moved forward around the island and into the kitchen.

"Breakfast anyone?"

X x X x X

Ace sat on Zoro's bed as he listened to the swordsman recount the happenings of the night before. Zoro paced as he talked and ran his hands through his hair at least five hundred times.

"It's just…" Zoro muttered. "I'm _so_ happy he's not kicking me out or going back to the Baratie or something, so I really shouldn't count my chickens or whatever. But I mean… no, no I'm not going to say that. I've had a great morning. Sparring with him felt so fucking good even if he isn't up to par…"

"And smell those pancakes," Ace commented. "Keep him around so he can keep feeding _me_."

"I know, I feel like I haven't tasted food in a year."

"You probably haven't."

Zoro sat beside him on the bed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Seriously though, Ace… do you think I did the right thing?"

Ace turned and put a comforting hand on Zoro's shoulder. "I'm not gonna lie to you man, I have no idea. Give it some time, maybe he'll come around or you'll start to hurt a little less. Just… hang in there. You still got all of us."

Zoro nodded just as Chopper knocked on the door.

"Yeah!" Zoro said.

"You guys better hurry!" Chopper squeaked. "The food's ready and Usopp is gonna eat it all!"

"We're coming," Ace said as he stood.

Zoro followed the older man out and dove into the breakfast Sanji had prepared. He remained quiet as he ate and conversation filled the kitchen around him. He thought about his decision, about whether or not he was just making his situation harder. He was so engrossed in his contemplation that he didn't notice his coffee until he had almost finished his meal. When he did, Zoro's heart skipped a beat and he smiled behind his mug.

Sanji had known to add two scoops of sugar without asking…

**TBC **


	8. Chapter 8

Alright my awesome reviewers! Since you all are amazing, I have taken a break from my epic Bleach fic, which I might add is only TWO CHAPTERS FROM BEING DONE to write this for you! I love you all so much! Thank you for your reviews and kind, excited, inspiring words!

**Chapter 8**

After breakfast, Ace, Chopper, and Usopp left after reminding Sanji about his promise of barbecued pork. Sanji assured them that he and Zoro would be at Vivi's around three o'clock and dinner would be around six thirty.

"I need to go shopping," Sanji said as he cleared the dishes. "Go take a shower while I clean up cause I need you to drive me."

Zoro looked up from rolling the workout mats, hiding a smirk.

"What am I your chauffeur?"

"_Oui_," Sanji said as he turned on the hot water. "I can't drive for another week."

"Lame excuse," Zoro chucked as he joined Sanji at the sink. "Here, let me, I usually do the dishes. You go take a shower."

Sanji leaned against the counter and cocked an eyebrow.

"You do the dishes? I don't believe it. Next you'll be telling me you do the laundry."

"Well," Zoro snorted. "If you call a trip to the drycleaners laundry, then yeah, I do."

Sanji couldn't help but grin. "You take my clothes to the _drycleaners_?" He straightened and clapped Zoro on the back. "Okay, I'll keep you around."

Sanji turned to head towards the bathroom, but Zoro's laugh made him stop. He glared over his shoulder with narrowed eyes.

"Why do I suddenly get the feeling that I have the not so fun chores?"

"Cause you do," Zoro was almost giggling. _Giggling_?

"Ah shit, what do I do?" Sanji folded his arms.

Zoro sprayed degreaser onto a pan and flashed his teeth.

"Take out the garbage, and clean the toilet."

"WHAT!" Sanji's jaw dropped. "How did I get stuck with the shit jobs?"

Zoro continued washing the pans, the grin never leaving his face.

"You lost a bet."

Sanji rolled his eyes and turned back towards the bathroom. "Whatever, we'll just have to make another bet. Then I'll kick your ass and make you do _everything_."

"Anytime, Sanji," Zoro teased. "Just tell me when. Before or after your physical therapy?"

"Shut up, bastard!" Sanji shrieked before he slammed the bathroom door.

Zoro returned to the dishes feeling better than he had in months.

X x X x X

Uwajimaya, one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest, sits in the heart of Seattle's China Town, and has become more of a tourist attraction and information hub than a shopping center. Bright orange dragons decorate the telephone poles and lamp posts on the surrounding streets, and street signs display destinations in Japanese and Chinese as well as English.

Zoro always loved shopping here with Sanji because it reminded him of his time in Japan. Hardly a word was spoken in English, and more often than not, Zoro was needed to translate if Sanji wanted to ask questions about the quality or cuts of meats. It made him feel a little less of a barbarian in Sanji's refined and distinguished presence. Yeah, sometimes Sanji had to read him the menus at the fancy-shmancy restaurants, but Sanji needed Zoro to shop in Seattle's best import center. Ha.

"Why shoulder?" Zoro asked as they left the meat department. "I thought the loin was the tender cut or whatever."

"No, the plate is," Sanji said as he ran through the list in his head. "That's the belly. It's where you get bacon. I could have gotten thigh, Luffy would have liked that, but I'm a traditionalist."

"Why frozen? Now don't we have to wait for it to thaw?"

"Pork's easier to cut when it's slightly frozen. And it also spoils fast so I didn't want the thawed pieces that were on display."

"I thought you cooked the pork whole? Why are you cutting it frozen?"

"You ever seen Kaya or Vivi eat barbecued pork? No. I'm making a stir fry for them."

As they made their way through the aisles, Sanji plucked ginger juice, honey, and other ingredients from the shelves. Zoro kept up his string of questions until the blonde rounded on him in the wine section.

"You always this talkative when we're shopping?" He placed a hand on his hip in mock annoyance.

Zoro leaned on the cart and placed his chin in his hands. "Only when we're food shopping. Clothes shopping with you is like getting my wisdom teeth pulled again. You're such a girl."

Sanji bristled. "I am not!"

"Oh please," Zoro smiled and his voice became obscenely high pitched. "'These shoes are suede! I can't wear suede with nylon! Zoro, that shirt is off-blue! You can't wear off-blue with black!'" His smile widened and his voice regained its natural timbre. "Drives me nuts."

Sanji crossed his arms haughtily as he moved towards the cash register.

"Well, I was right. You _can't_ wear off-blue with black. You're lucky I took the time to help you out."

"You just didn't want to be seen with me while I was wearing board shorts and combat boots."

Sanji clapped his hands over his ears. "Christ, Zoro! You're gonna kill me!"

"Hey, not my fault!" Zoro chuckled. "I hung out with Ace most of my life!"

"God…" Sanji groaned and ran a hand over his face. "Tell me you didn't dress like that when we were out somewhere together."

"No, don't worry," Zoro said as he leaned closer to the blonde. "The worst I did when I was out with you was wear different colored socks with flip flops."

Sanji screeched, kicked the swordsman in the side, and proceeded to the checkout by himself. Zoro leaned against a pillar, holding his side and laughed until his stomach hurt.

X x X x X

"Vivi, love, I'm fine," Sanji assured the pretty blonde. "I'm feeling great, I know my way around the kitchen, don't worry about me. Go … entertain people."

Vivi reluctantly let Sanji guide her out of the kitchen. "Alright, Sanji. But if you feel even the slightest bit tired, even the _slightest_, you stop what you're doing and come get me. Okay?"

Sanji smiled and bowed slightly as he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. "I promise, princess. Go play pool, or go hang on Ace and make him look good or something."

Vivi giggled and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Sanji."

"Ah," the cook shrugged. "Had to try."

She blew him a kiss and glided down the hall to the rec room. Sanji busied himself with making the marinade for the pork and setting the meat in the fridge. He chopped vegetables and hummed a tune he didn't know the words to while sneaking quick cigarettes by the open window. He heard the doorbell ring several times and wondered how many people Ace and Vivi were having over. Not that it mattered much, he was making enough food for an army.

When everything was prepped, Sanji made his way out of the kitchen and moved down the hall to see who showed up. In the rec room, Sanji was bombarded by the combined sounds of _Three Days Grace_, and Luffy and Usopp shouting at the widescreen as they played some first person shooter on the Xbox. Nami and Vivi sat at the bar, talking amongst themselves and doing an awful lot of eye-rolling. Ace, Chopper, and Zoro had started up a game of cut throat at the pool table. When Sanji stepped through the door, Chopper immediately called out for him.

"Sanji!" the sandy – haired youth looked at him with big doe eyes. "Help me! They're so freaking good!"

Sanji chuckled as Ace handed him a cue stick. "Try it pretty boy," Ace grinned. "Let's see what sleeping for a year did to your skills."

Apparently, it did nothing. Sanji easily beat Ace through three games and only lost to Zoro once by one move. Chopper watched the games with unbridled awe, praising Sanji and Zoro and comforting Ace as he fell behind.

"Aw, you guys suck," Ace muttered good naturedly as he put up his cue stick. He caught Sanji's eye from across the table and motioned with his head for the cook to follow him out into the hallway.

Sanji looked at Zoro, who merely shrugged and moved to join the girls at the bar. Chopper smiled at him and flopped down on the bean bag chairs between Luffy and Usopp.

Ace led the way down the hall and pulled open the door to the patio. Both men pulled out cigarettes and Ace had a flame ready for Sanji immediately. The moves were practiced and carried out without a word. The two stood in silence for a few minutes, letting the nicotine settle in their systems and watching the purples and oranges of the sunset.

"You've graduated from matches, I see," Sanji said as he blew out a long stream a smoke.

"They got expensive," Ace grinned. "Besides, Vivi was getting pissed at always finding empty matchbooks lying around the house."

"At least you don't smoke _in_ the house," Sanji offered.

"She'd castrate me."

"Sweet little Vivi?" Sanji chuckled. "Never."

Ace's grin widened. "She's not so sweet."

"_Vraiment_?" Sanji's grin matched Ace's and he leaned against the railing. "Oh do tell."

Ace chuckled and waved a finger at Sanji. "A gentleman never kisses and tells, you know that."

"Ah, Ace!" Sanji tilted his head back and placed a fist over his heart. "Don't dangle a steak in front of a starving man and then _take it away!_"

Ace laughed, almost choking on his drag. "Or you mean don't dangle sex secrets in front of a pervert?"

"I'm only half a pervert!" Sanji said, but the fight was gone, if it was ever even there. The blonde turned and rested his elbows on the wood of the railing and watched the last of the cigarette's cherry burn out.

"I'm really happy for you guys…" Sanji said quietly.

"Thank you," Ace replied, dropping his butt into the coffee can at their feet. Another few minutes of comfortable silence passed before Ace spoke again.

"I was really glad to see you two getting along today…"

Sanji's cigarette joined Ace's in the coffee can and the cook's hands ran over his face. His rested his forehead in his palms and let out a pained sigh.

"Oh, yeah… I just… God, I don't know what to think about this whole thing… Do you know how… What the fuck happened?"

Ace held up his hands. "It's not really my place to tell. None of us has any idea what happened anyway. There was this week where you two were at each other's throats more than usual. It was so bad we really thought you guys were going to kill each other. Then… you both sort of… disappeared… and when you came back a few days later…"

"What?" Sanji straightened to look deadpanned at his friend. "Guess what, we're gay? I don't believe it, Ace. I mean, the guy's fucking cool, but there's no way I'm gonna bend over and take it up the ass from him."

Ace just about doubled over as fits of laughter erupted from the older man's gut. Sanji stood, chewing the inside of his lip and fighting the intense urge to kick his friend's stomach into his throat. When Ace's hysterics finally died down, the older man put an arm around Sanji's shoulders. He wiped at his eyes and clapped Sanji on the chest.

"I love you man," Ace said through leftover giggles. "I wish the you of a year ago could hear the you now."

Sanji shoved his hands in his pockets. He clenched his jaw and glared daggers at the patio deck. Ace noticed his anger and pulled away, suddenly becoming serious.

"Look," he began, turning the younger man to face him. "You guys are my best friends. We've been through so much shit together. I would never just sit by and watch you guys do something infinitely crazy unless I knew it made you happy."

Sanji looked up at Ace then. Happy? Had he been happy?

"Well, it looks like you kinda did, Ace. Great fucking job."

"Sanji…" Ace released the cook's arms and put his hands on his hips. "When you guys were together, Zoro treated you like you were the only person on the planet. He seriously would have _destroyed a country_, if he thought it would make you happy. He got offered this amazing job in Tokyo a while back, some kind of school for martial arts prodigies, but he didn't take it cause he wanted to stay here with you. He's making like, a quarter of the money he would have if he'd taken the job."

Sanji pressed his hands further into his pockets. He knew this was the stuff he needed to hear, but his heart was starting to hurt. There was no way he had finally found someone he could be happy with and it was a _man._

"He worships the ground you walk on, Sanji. Hell, he worships the ground you walk _beside_. Growing up he was antisocial and introverted; didn't really have any close friends, besides me. Then, after being with you he changed. He started talking more, actually joined in conversations- gave opinions… Nearly broke my brain in the beginning. It was so weird…" Ace turned to look out over the balcony. His face softened as he remembered good times. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I'd never realized it before, until I saw you two together, but… he was lonely. He wanted- needed somebody that shared his passions and goals. Someone he could be totally honest with… someone he could share… everything with…"

Sanji felt his lungs constrict painfully and a pressure behind his eyes started to build. He was losing it bit by bit and he hated himself for it. He dug around in his pocket for his pack and pulled out another cigarette. Ace held out a flame and Sanji thankfully accepted it. Pulling the smoke into his lungs, he waited for his hands to stop trembling before he plucked the stick from his lips.

"I'm not trying to pressure you, Sanji," Ace continued, turning back to face the blonde. "I'm just telling you how it was; giving you facts so you'll understand."

The cook took another drag and murmured softly as he exhaled. "How was I?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

Sanji looked up and fixed Ace with an importunate stare. His eyes pleaded with the older man to give him the answers he longed for so desperately.

"How was I? What did I give him? What was I like… with him?"

Ace stared back, meeting Sanji's intense gaze. The older man slipped his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt.

"You loved him, Sanji," Ace said quietly. "I think you might have loved him more than he loved you."

Sanji brought the back of his hand to his mouth. He tightened his lips to keep himself from saying something he'd regret. Fear, pent up tension, relief, and confusion built up around his eyes, brimmed beneath his eyelashes, and spilled over onto his cheeks. He didn't know what to think, had no idea how to start feeling. Ace put a comforting hand on his shoulder as he leaned back against the railing and stared at his shoes.

_He had loved Zoro. God, Zoro had loved him. No! Zoro _still_ loved him! How could he have fallen in love with Zoro!_

He already had known… kind of. He had guessed, just never admitted it to himself. As he stood there, leaning against the porch railing, tears streaming down his face, and his heart beating so fast it hurt, Sanji realized that hearing the words out loud made the situation easier to deal with. It brought the problem out into the open where Sanji could see it, deal with it face to face. If there was one thing that Sanji was afraid of, it was the unknown. The cook hated being in the dark, not knowing his opponent, not understanding what it was he was up against. Not understanding your opposition was close to crippling. It made you slower, weaker, less likely to fend off a strategically placed attack. Not that he thought Zoro was an opponent, no. It was the situation; the _god damn situation_.

Ace's words rang in his ears and hummed across his skin, burrowed into his brain and raced along with the blood pumping in his veins. Sanji was still reeling from information overload when the porch door opened and Usopp poked his head outside. Sanji turned back to face the railing and hide his tears.

"Um, Ace," Usopp's voice was unsure. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Vivi wants you. Franky, Robin, and Brook just got here. She says you have to play host."

Ace straightened and stretched his arms over his head. "Alright, I'm coming." He leaned in close to Sanji's ear and whispered. "You gonna be okay?"

Sanji nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

Ace gave his shoulder one final squeeze before he made his way back inside. Sanji heard him ask Usopp if he was coming, but the younger man refused.

"I… think I'll stay out here for a bit," Usopp mumbled. "K… Kaya came with Robin… so…"

"I understand," Sanji heard Ace say before the door closed.

Sanji listened to the soft footfalls of Usopp's shoes as the younger man moved to sit beneath the cantilever(1). The scrape of the metal against the wooden deck didn't hide the tired sigh that escaped through the young engineer's lips. Sanji wiped at his eyes quickly and turned around coolly. He made his way over to the circular table and sat beside Usopp.

He took a deep drag from his cigarette and glanced at his friend. He wasn't surprised to find Usopp looking at him with concern. Beneath his boisterous exterior and sometimes painfully immature personality, was a very kind, very caring individual. Sanji looked away quickly as his eyes were no doubt still red rimmed and glistening. He didn't try to hide his current state though, he knew Usopp was too keen for that. He just settled into a comfortable silence, sucking on his smoke and watching the clouds make their way lazily across the sky.

"Overwhelmed?" Usopp finally broke the silence after a few minutes.

Sanji had to laugh. He wanted to throw his head back and shriek at the sky until he finally broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably, but he had more pride than that. He settled for quietly chuckling behind his cigarette adorned hand.

"Well if that isn't the understatement of the fucking century…"

Usopp sunk a little in his chair. "I'm sorry…"

Sanji waved his hand. "It's okay, Usopp, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry… I'm just really…"

"Stressed?"

"Yes."

Usopp tucked the lower half of his face into the neck of his sweatshirt. It was almost comical how the only things that showed were his eyes and his long nose. Sanji smiled and bit back a laugh.

"After finding out that you lost your memory," Usopp began quietly. "I went home and tried to think what it would be like to be in your shoes right now. Like, I go to sleep one night… and then wake up with a totally different life."

"A totally different person," muttered Sanji around his cigarette.

Usopp frowned. "No… you weren't a different person at all, Sanji. You were still you, you were just…"

"Getting fucked by a guy all the time. Oh yeah, that sounds like me, I see what you're saying now." Sanji wasn't being harsh on purpose. He wanted to stop, but the words just kept pouring out.

Usopp cocked his head to the side in that very Usopp-like way and surprised Sanji with a grin.

"How do you know you were getting fucked every day? Who says you weren't the one doing the fucking?"

Sanji glared at his friend. "Does Zoro look like someone who _gets fucked_? No, he doesn't. I'm not a moron, Usopp!"

Usopp's grin only widened, much to Sanji's chagrin. The cook felt a heat rise up into his cheeks as his temper flared slightly along with his embarrassment.

"Please don't tell me you know otherwise. I really don't want to know how much you know."

Usopp put up his hands and leaned back in the chair. Sanji crushed his cigarette out on the bottom of his shoe before he rested his elbows on the table. He started fighting a little battle with himself as he sat there with Usopp's eyes burning holes into his side. Hearing that he was not the only one getting screwed _did not _change anything. Hearing that Zoro sometimes submitted to him and that Sanji wasn't always the woman _did not in any way _spark his interest. Hearing that he might have sometimes had that green – haired bastard at his mercy underneath him; that powerful, magnificent body writhing, _begging_-

_Oh fuck! Enough!_

"Usopp…" Sanji cleared his throat. "Tell me what happened with Kaya."

All traces of humor left Usopp's face. His shoulders tensed and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes abruptly fled. The man seemed to shrivel, his body pulling into his sweatshirt and baggy cargos.

"I don't really want to talk about it," he said in a pained voice.

"Oh, guess what?" Sanji said as he pulled another cigarette out of his pack. "I'm the _king _of not wanting to talk about stuff right now, so your problems are up to bat." The cook's lighter flickered and smoke curled around his head. "Spill."

Usopp sighed and ran a hand over his eyes. "Uh… okay. It's kind of complicated."

"I'm listening," Sanji took a drag and leaned back to get more comfortable in his chair.

"Okay…" Usopp searched for words in the glass tabletop. "Do you remember Pell? Vivi's brother? I think you met him at that charity function Vivi and Kaya held a few years ago."

Sanji frowned. "I think the Baratie catered that event…" Sanji searched his memory for Vivi's brother. Blond hair came to mind, tall… white… "Oh!" Sanji exclaimed. "Pell! Yeah! He was there and he had a genuine white Romeo Gigli Suit on! Oh, I would _kill_ for a suit like that!"

Usopp rolled his eyes. "That was very gay sounding, Sanji."

"I'll kill you, shitty engineer. On with the story."

"Anyway," Usopp continued, ignoring Sanji's empty threat. "Pell's had this friend, Chaka, since he was a kid. He's the son of some rich guy that deals in Egyptian artifacts or something. Robin knows the family too. Whatever, anyway, this Chaka guy's been friends with Pell and Vivi and Kaya forever. They all went to the same prep school, spent summer vacation together, all that. When they got into high school, Kaya's parents and Chaka's parents sort of did this arranged marriage thing because they wanted to merge the two family's fortunes or some crazy rich people thing."

"Woa, wait," Sanji interrupted. "You've been dating an heiress that was already betrothed to some other guy?"

Usopp nodded slowly.

"Damn Usopp," Sanji grinned. "You have some serious balls, or luck… or something."

Usopp reddened. "No, no, it's not like that. Once Kaya and I got together she told her parents the betrothal was off. It was old fashioned anyway… Well… I _thought_ she called it off."

Sanji sat forward engrossed. "What do you mean 'you thought'?"

Usopp looked at his hands that were laced together in his lap. He sighed softly and slowly deflated again.

"She… Kaya… Chaka obviously wasn't going to just sit back while he lost her to me. I mean who would give up Kaya so easily?"

Sanji nodded. He for one would fight to the death if he ever had Kaya. She was sweet and gentle and even more beautiful than his precious Nami. Not that he would ever admit that out loud… and not like he'd ever looked at Kaya like that while she was with Usopp. Nope.

"I started getting suspicious a few months ago when she started going out at weird times or staying at work longer than usual. This Chaka guy was calling all the time and leaving these cryptic messages on the answering machine. I told Kaya I didn't want her to see him anymore, but she said she couldn't just abandon her childhood friend. I was stupid and thought it was just her being her sweet self… but…"

Sanji didn't like where this was going. He watched Usopp's eyes fill with pain and tears as his words slipped from his lips. The rest of his story was told in a cold, flat tone.

"About a month before you woke up, Kaya left her phone at home and I found it. I was just shuffling through stuff, I wasn't really trying to pry or anything… but there was a message from Chaka saying to meet him at this fancy hotel and what time…" Usopp lowered his head and put his face in his hands. "She told me she was going to Nami's… God, I was so _stupid!_"

"Shit, Usopp," Sanji put a hand on his friend's shaking shoulder. "I'm so sorry…"

Usopp whimpered into his hands. "He's so tall and good-looking and rich… How could I have ever kept her with me when I had to compete with that? I'm nobody! I'm just an engineer- no, not even an engineer yet. I still have to get through school! I'm ugly and I'm a liar and I've never-"

"Usopp!" Sanji growled. He put his hand on the back of the younger man's head and rested his forehead against Usopp's. "Don't think like that, don't _ever _think like that. You think I'd be friends with someone who wasn't cool? Or fun? Or interesting? People cheat for a million different screwed up reasons."

Usopp opened his eyes. Tears made their way slowly down his cheeks as he stared hard at Sanji's tie.

"I must have done something… I wasn't enough for her…"

"Usopp," Sanji gripped the younger man's shoulders. "You loved Kaya, that's the most important thing. Love conquers all. Love transcends time and space! Love is precious and fragile and beautiful and terrible… If she couldn't handle that… it's her own damn fault."

Usopp sniffed and smiled a little.

"You sound like a song, Sanji."

The cook pulled away and took a final drag from his cigarette. "Well I am the… what does Zoro call me? Love Cook?"

"Actually I call you Shit Cook," Zoro's voice covered Usopp's chuckle. "You call _yourself_ The Love Cook."

Sanji looked up to see the swordsman leaning against the open doorframe. How long had he been standing there? How had he gotten there without him noticing?

Usopp wiped his face and leaned back in his chair. "Hey Zoro."

Zoro acknowledged him with a nod and turned to the cook.

"Nami says Luffy and Ace need food, so you should come inside and make dinner."

Sanji grinned and stood, stretching his arms above his head. "Ah, anything for the lovely Miss Nami!"

Zoro rolled his eyes and turned to Usopp. "You coming?"

Usopp shook his head.

"I'll hang out here for a while."

Zoro nodded and stepped aside to let Sanji passed. The cook turned back around and faced Usopp before Zoro closed the door.

"You still need to talk you know where to find me, Usopp."

The curly – haired man nodded and smiled softly. "Thanks, Sanji."

Sanji made his way back to the kitchen and pulled the apron from the rack by the freezer. After securing it around his waist, and washing his hands thoroughly in the sink, he pulled the meat from the fridge and placed it on the island.

"You alright, Sanji?" Zoro asked from the doorway.

Sanji didn't miss a beat. He opened his knife roll and pulled out a Deba(2).

"I'm fine. Why?"

Zoro shifted uncomfortably, stepping inside the kitchen and moving closer to the island. He seemed wary though, watching Sanji's hands as they deftly sliced the pork into thin strips.

"You look like…" Zoro's voice trailed off.

Sanji stopped slicing and met Zoro's gaze. Great, the bastard could tell he'd been crying. Fuck. He should have washed in the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face.

"Usopp's story upset me, that's all," Sanji said quietly. His eyes said the conversation was over and all questions pertaining to this subject were not to be asked. The cook went back to slicing meat and trying to ignore the swordsman.

Zoro got the point, but didn't back away.

"I don't believe Kaya did it."

Sanji's hands stopped. He sighed softly and thanked Zoro for saying it out loud. He had felt there was something not quite right about the whole situation. Kaya? Cheat on Usopp? There was no freaking way! They were so perfect, so happy together! And Kaya had looked so lost and utterly defeated when she had come to see him in the hospital. And Usopp! Poor Usopp!

The cook's blue eyes rose to meet the swordsman's black.

"I don't think she did either."

Zoro nodded. "Chopper refuses to believe it too. He said Kaya denies doing anything with that other guy, but she refuses to explain the phone calls and secret meetings."

Sanji sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand.

"It's… so fucked up… Everything's so fucked up..."

Sanji heard Zoro back up slowly, his voice forlorn. "I'm sorry… I'll leave you alone."

"No! No!" Sanji looked up and suddenly felt exceedingly cruel. "I wasn't… I'm sorry. Come back, that's not what I meant."

Zoro regarded him carefully, but moved forward and sat on the stool that Sanji indicated. The blonde pulled a bag of peppers out of the fridge and placed them in front of the swordsman. "Here," he said, handing him a paring knife and a large bowl. "Core these. I don't want a single seed in there or I'll kick your ass."

Zoro smiled then and picking up the knife, sang under his breath.

"Tryyyy it paaaansy…"

Sanji ignored him and continued slicing.

X x X x X

Dinner went surprisingly well. Usopp came inside when the food was ready and entertained everyone with several tall tales about giant goldfish and giants stranded on jungle islands. Brook provided wonderful background music on Vivi's grand piano and proved he could accompany _anyone_ when Chopper and Luffy had one too many beers and started singing Christmas songs halfway through dessert. Sanji was happy to be reacquainted with Robin the museum curator and her husband Franky the architect.

"So you're friends with Vivi's parents," Sanji tried to piece together the bits of information he had been receiving over the past hour. "And you built Ace's boat."

"Correct," Franky said. "Designed and built it. Also designed Vivi's parent's house. Not my best work mind you, I'm more into sea fairing structures. But the house turned out pretty super so it's cool."

"So how did you meet your delicate flower over there?" Sanji motioned to Robin, sitting at the bar chatting with Nami.

"I was contracted to design the new wing for her museum a few years back. Nami introduced us."

A new song from the drunken duo and a light tap on his shoulder from Zoro, signaled it was time for Sanji to be leaving. Everyone thanked and hugged the chef until he felt his back would break before he slipped out the door, clutching his knife roll and yawning deeply.

He didn't even notice they were home until Zoro gently nudged his shoulder.

"Hey, cook," Zoro whispered. "Get out."

Sanji groaned and drug himself out of the car and through the lobby. Unfortunately, the elevator ride gave him time to think about what Ace had said while he tried desperately not to look at Zoro. Too bad there were mirrors covering the walls so no matter where he looked, there the bastard was.

"Lemme get my stuff out of the bedroom," Zoro said as he unlocked the door. "I'll just be a sec."

"Don't worry about it," Sanji said. "I'm not really all that sleepy. I'll probably stay up a while and watch TV."

Zoro said something from the bedroom, but Sanji didn't understand him. He pulled off his jacket and opened the door to the closet. He grabbed a hanger and as he slipped the jacket between a raincoat and black denim, a large cardboard box caught his eye. God knows what suddenly made him so curious, but he couldn't stop himself as he squatted and pulled the box closer. Pulling the flaps open, his eyes widened at what he found. Inside the box were pictures, dozens of them. Pictures of him and Zoro. Sanji pulled one from the top and studied it.

The picture showed Sanji, sitting in a booth at what looked like a nice restaurant. He had on a stylish black suit and was grinning like a moron. Beside him sat Zoro, his arm around the cook's shoulders. The swordsman was also dressed to impress in a white collared shirt and a black blazer. But for once, Sanji was not paying attention to his clothes. All the cook could concentrate on was the fact that the Zoro in the picture was kissing him. The green – haired bastard's lips were crushed against the skin of his cheek, and Sanji was… he was… _God damnit it was obvious he really liked it_!

"That was a fun night…"

Sanji nearly jumped out of his skin. Zoro's voice startled him so badly the cook flew backwards and landed on his ass.

"Holy shit, Zoro!" Sanji gasped. "You scared me to death!"

Zoro eyed him from his perch against the wall. "You look alive to me."

Sanji scowled and returned to his heels beside the box. "What is all this?"

Zoro sighed and slid down the wall until he was sitting beside the box. He dug through its contents and pulled out a picture encased in a simple black frame. He studied the picture with sad eyes as he spoke.

"I hid all of these before you got home. I didn't want you seeing one before you knew about us."

Sanji stared at Zoro. His surprise must have showed on his face because when Zoro looked up he smirked.

"I may be a muscle-head, but I'm not stupid."

Sanji looked back at the box and moved to a sitting position, crossing his legs Indian style. Zoro's thoughtfulness touched him and gave him a sense of how much the swordsman really cared for him.

"That was…" Sanji said softly. "That was really nice of you to do that for me, Zoro."

Zoro shrugged. "I thought it would be easier to just tell you than have to explain something like that." He pointed to the picture Sanji was holding.

Sanji glanced at it again. "You said this was a fun night. What happened?"

"We were celebrating," Zoro said. "_Time_ magazine had just named you one of the country's top chefs. Your restaurant was going crazy. They interviewed you on The Food Network and everything."

Sanji's jaw dropped. "You're fucking kidding!"

Zoro shook his head. "Article's in there."

Sanji dug through the pictures until he found a framed magazine page. He pulled it out and saw a picture of himself in cook whites leaning against a large restaurant prep table covered in vegetables. He looked smug and absolutely dashing. His arms were crossed and his head was tilted the way it was when he was flirting with a pretty girl.

"Wow," Sanji grinned. "I look good."

"The damn hairstylist spent almost an _hour_ on your hair and I don't think it looks any different than normal." Zoro huffed.

Sanji chuckled as he started reading the article. It talked about his time in France studying culinary arts at Bonjour Provence at _Domaine de Valmouriane_, and fine wines at _Côtes de Bourg_ in Bordeaux. Sanji was delighted to find he was the youngest chef that made the list by almost five years. _Times_ called him a 'prodigy' and praised his ability to use every ounce of food, never wasting anything, turning ordinary leftovers into an ingenious and delectable work of art.

"How could all of this have happened in only a year?" Sanji asked, his voice breathy from his amazement.

Zoro shrugged again. "You're an incredible chef, Sanji. It's not that farfetched that you'd be discovered so quickly."

Sanji raised his head and regarded the swordsman. Zoro was looking at the floor, his teeth softly grinding as his eyes stared hard into memories that Sanji didn't have. He watched the calloused hands grip the black framed picture tightly. He wanted to ask what the photo was but Zoro seemed too engrossed in his thoughts to bother him. Instead, Sanji started shuffling through the pictures in the box. He pulled out a photo in an orange frame and started to laugh hysterically.

Zoro looked up. "What's funny?"

Sanji flipped the picture over so Zoro could see what he was looking at. "What the hell are we all doing?"

Zoro smiled and scooted closer. "This was Halloween. We're pirates. We called ourselves the Straw Hat Pirate Crew and Luffy was the captain."

"_Luffy_!" Sanji laughed. "_What the fuck_? And we don't look anything like pirates!"

"Yes we do! Look at Usopp's hat! And you and Robin are even wearing eye patches!"

"Nobody looks even _remotely_ like a pirate except you, Zoro! With your bandana and your… wait… why do you have _three_ swords?"

Zoro took the picture from him and placed it back in the box. "I'll explain later. But now it's almost eleven and I promised Chopper I'd make you go to bed as soon as we got home."

"Fine," Sanji sighed. "You got your stuff out of the bedroom?"

"Yup," Zoro stood and helped Sanji to his feet. "You know, you should stop by the Baratie tomorrow, let everyone see you."

Sanji nodded. "That's a good idea. Can we go at lunchtime?"

"Okay."

"Alright then… 'night."

"'Night, Sanji."

X x X x X

Sanji rolled over again trying to find a comfortable spot on the pillow. Sleep was eluding him even though his body screamed for rest. So much had happened that day, his mind was refusing to relax and shut down. His talk with Ace replayed in his head over and over, and when it wasn't Ace's voice he heard in his head, it was Usopp's. On top of all that, his throat was parched. He had been contemplating getting up to get a drink for the past hour, but the floor was cold and he was just comfortable enough to not want to leave the bed.

"Fuck it," he finally said and threw off the covers.

He stood and padded to the door. Out the corner of his eye he saw a shape move down the hall from the bathroom. Sanji's body tensed and he readied himself as he reached for the light switch. The overhead light illuminated the stretch of hallway and a very surprised Zoro. The swordsman was standing in front of the closet, frozen in the middle of retrieving a jacket from the rack. Sanji's eyes adjusted to the light and he wondered for a moment if he actually had fallen asleep after all.

Zoro was dressed in black from head to toe. Black jeans, black boots, black long sleeved shirt and black bandana. The jacket he was pulling out of the closet was leather and also black.

"Zoro?" Sanji blinked stupidly. "Why are you up at one in the morning? And why are you dressed like a ninja?"

Zoro sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at the ground sheepishly and pulled his jacket the rest of the way out of the closet.

"Would it be too much to ask for you to just go back to bed and pretend you didn't see me?" the swordsman muttered.

Sanji crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.

"Uh, let me think… Yes. What the fuck are you doing? And what the hell is that?" he motioned to a long case at Zoro's feet.

Zoro grumbled under his breath and shrugged into his jacket. Sanji tried very hard to not think about how good Zoro looked in solid black… kind of _tight_ solid black…

"You ever wonder how we afford this over the top apartment with our jobs?"

"Only almost the whole time I'm in it," Sanji answered.

Zoro picked up the case and pulled the strap over his head. He seemed to be chewing something over in his head for a minute before he spoke again.

"If I leave now without telling you anything, you're gonna try and follow me, aren't you?"

"Hell yes I am."

Zoro's head dropped to his chest and he sighed in defeat. "Okay, get dressed. I'll just take you with me."

Sanji straightened. He had expected Zoro to leave him hanging, threaten to kill him if he told anyone, confess he was an assassin or a secret agent or something, but never ever _tell him to get dressed and go with him_! Sanji's heart started to pound as adrenaline started replacing the blood in his veins. He turned to turn on the bedroom light and pulled open his drawers.

"Oh, and Sanji," Zoro's voice came from the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"All black," the swordsman said softly.

Sanji turned and gave Zoro a quizzical look. "How come?"

Zoro grinned then and twirled the car keys on his finger as he left the bedroom.

"It's the rules."

**TBC**

A/N

1- A cantilever is a free-standing umbrella. I have a picture of one if you go here: http:/s226(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/dd294/starkblackphotos/?actionview¤tCanta(dot)jpg (Just change the (dot)s to actual periods. XD

2- A Deba is a traditional Japanese chef's knife used for slicing meats.


	9. Chapter 9

I love my readers!! I love you, Love You! LOVE YOU!! Sorry this took so long, but I've been enjoying my husband who is home from Iraq for a few weeks. I snagged a couple hours while he was playing World of Warcraft and abandoned my rogue to write this for you guys! XD Hope you enjoy! And thank you to my wonderful beta Liralen!! XD

**Chapter 9**

Sanji flicked the lighter to light the tip of his fourth cigarette as he fluidly buttoned his top. Pulling the smoke into his lungs, he wondered if the tingling sensation he was feeling in his limbs was from a slight nicotine buzz, or if he was experiencing a true adrenaline high. The blonde knew Zoro was taking him somewhere that was most likely dangerous and illegal and it electrified his nerves. He had to give the swordsman points for never being dull.

He glanced at himself in the mirror. He had found black jeans, a black undershirt, and a long sleeved black collared button up top that all went together fairly well. He looked pretty good, not as good as Zoro, but definitely sexy in his own right. As he did a quick turn to check out the jeans from the back, he fleetingly wondered if Zoro liked these pants on him. They definitely accentuated all the right curves and they made his legs look even longer than they already were.

Not that he cared if he looked good for Zoro. It wasn't like it mattered to him of the shitty swordsman looked at him like that. He didn't actually _want_ that kind of attention from another man. No way.

Sanji did another quick glance over his body as his thoughts crossed the demilitarized zone and treaded farther and farther into enemy territory. He had never thought about simple things like Zoro finding him attractive. It was obvious he did if the two of them had indeed been together, but the thought had never really occurred to Sanji before.

Did Zoro think the same kinds of things Sanji had thought about when he had looked at girls? Did Zoro like the angle of his hips over the top of his belt? Did he like the color of his eyes, or the way his hair fell over his face? The way he moved or spoke? Did gay guys think those kinds of things? Or was it more primal and less poetic?

When there was no woman in the equation, how could it be romantic? Without a woman there were no soft curves and supple skin to run your hands over; no hair to run your fingers through. No soft whimpers and feminine sighs that gave you hints where they liked to be touched. There was no reason to be gentle or assiduous with a man, was there? Had Zoro been gentle with him? Doubtful. He didn't seem the type… But then again… at the hospital… those hands… and that kind smile… his soft voice…

Had he been like a woman with Zoro? Had he whispered and whimpered and groaned at his touch? Had his body been caressed and worshiped the same way Sanji had worshiped all those beautiful women?

Did Zoro think he was beautiful?

No… that was silly- a silly thing to think. What _was_ he thinking anyway? Why did it matter what Zoro thought of him? The green – haired bastard was so attractive he could model for Calvin Klein in a heartbeat. Sanji didn't have _anything_ on Zoro; he paled in comparison to the swordsman's physique. Sanji was so thin and bony you almost see his ribs through his shirts. He'd never been able to tan, even after coating himself with entire bottles of tanning oils all he got for his troubles was a sunburn. Zoro had all that ropey muscle and dark skin... those deep eyes and absolutely killer smile… No one should be allowed to be that sexy…

Fuck. He just referred to Zoro as sexy…

"Hey, you ready?" Zoro's voice interrupted Sanji's thoughts.

Sanji nodded absently and turned from the mirror. Zoro eyed him strangely, that same gaze Sanji had caught the swordsman giving him several times in the hospital. From the depths of his treacherous mind and before he could stop himself, Sanji blurted out.

"Does this look okay?"

An awkward moment passed for Sanji as Zoro looked at him stupidly. The swordsman seemed at a loss for words and just stood blinking.

Why did it matter what Zoro thought? It shouldn't make any difference! He shouldn't care! But damnit, he did. He _did_ care. Sanji suddenly realized that Zoro's opinion mattered a lot. He wanted Zoro to tell him he looked good. He wanted Zoro to find him just as sexy as he found Zoro.

But Zoro just stared with a look that suggested the question was ludicrous. Sanji was acting ridiculously like a woman and Zoro obviously didn't know how to respond.

"Sorry," Sanji turned away. "I don't know why I asked. I didn't-"

"You used to ask me that…" Zoro interrupted softly. "Every time you got dressed for a big dinner party, or we were going somewhere nice, or whatever. You always asked me that same thing."

Sanji turned back and slowly shoved his hands self-consciously into his pockets. He could feel his cheeks heating and tried to hide them underneath his curtain of blonde bangs.

Zoro leaned against the doorframe and tucked a thumb underneath the strap of the long case slung over his shoulders. Sanji could hear his smile as he continued. "You always asked, even though you always knew what I was going to say. Drove me fucking crazy."

Sanji smiled as well but his eyes never left the floor. "It seems like that's pretty much all I did."

"What, drive me crazy?"

Sanji nodded.

"Every day," Zoro chuckled. Sanji heard him push off the doorframe and move to the closet. "But I'm pretty sure I drove you up the wall all the time too."

"I can see that," Sanji murmured as he watched Zoro bend to dig through the contents in a box on the closet floor. He pulled out a pair of black flip flops and handed them to Sanji.

"What are those for?" Sanji asked confused.

"You aren't allowed to wear shoes," Zoro grinned at him. "I mean, you can wear shoes, but Yosaku will make you take them off at the door."

Sanji closed his eyes and tried to make sense of Zoro's statement. "Zoro… do you have any idea how totally _crazy_ that sounds?! What the fuck do you mean _I can't wear shoes_?! Who the fuck made that rule up?!"

"You did." Zoro set the flip flops on the floor and moved back to the doorway. "Just trust me on this. Put 'em on, and lets go."

Sanji fancied pulling his hair out. After the sudden realization that he might find Zoro attractive, then realizing Zoro didn't really think the same way about him, _and then_ being told wherever there were going he _couldn't wear shoes, _his patience was wearing thin and his emotions were reaching a dangerous precipice. He decided to not argue for once and slipped the flip flops on before following Zoro down the hall. The swordsman stopped and pulled Sanji's black leather jacket from the hallway closet and rummaged around on the top shelf.

"What are you looking for?" Sanji asked.

"Not looking," Zoro grunted. "Just trying to get this down without bringing down an avalanche."

From the depths of the upper shelf, Zoro extracted a blue and black motorcycle helmet and handed it to Sanji. The blonde took it and frowned.

"Um… why do I need this?"

Zoro smiled and opened the front door. "Cause it's illegal to ride without one."

Sanji's eyes widened. "You have a bike?"

"Yes I do."

"What is it?"

They entered the elevator and Zoro leaned against the railing with a smug smile. "It's a Yamaha. I wanted a Hayabusa, but it was a little pricy."

Sanji tried not to salivate as they made their way down to the garage.

Near the back of the gated parking area, there were several covered shapes. Zoro moved to the last one in the row and pulled the multibond fabric from a charcoal and silver R6. Sanji's eyes nearly fell from his head when he gazed upon the sleek frame.

"Why the hell didn't you say anything about this?" Sanji's voice was absurdly high pitched. "You have an R6 and _don't brag about it_!?"

Zoro unlocked the wheels and placed his case in a custom made lock box on the back. He looked at Sanji sheepishly before plucking his own black helmet from the seat. "Even thought I think about how you've forgotten stuff pretty much constantly, I still forget that you've… forgotten stuff… Does that make sense?"

Sanji tore his eyes away from the bike and nodded at Zoro. "Yeah, a little. Easy to forget the not so weighty stuff." As Sanji watched Zoro straddle the bike, a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Zoro?" he asked.

Zoro looked up. "Hm?"

"You think about me losing my memory all the time?"

Zoro looked away quickly and stared hard at the concrete. "Of course I do, stupid… It's almost _all_ I think about…"

Sanji wasn't sure what to say to that, so he moved closer and threw his leg over the machine behind the swordsman. He adjusted himself until he was comfortable, but before he could pull his helmet on, Zoro turned to look at him over his shoulder.

"Sanji…" he said softly.

"Yeah?" Sanji looked up and suddenly noticed the almost provocative position they were in. He flushed a little and tried not to think about how that particular view of Zoro was incredibly sexy.

Zoro grinned and slipped his own helmet over his head.

"You always look amazing."

Sanji's face practically burst into flames and he slipped the helmet over his head to hide it.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

Zoro chuckled and revved the engine.

As they sped down the streets of downtown Seattle, Sanji felt himself growing more and more uncomfortable. His chest was flush with Zoro's back, and his inner thighs rubbed against Zoro's hips whenever they made a turn or rolled over a bump. He had wrapped his arms around the swordsman's waist, but it was less for stability and more to keep his crotch from brushing against Zoro's ass.

Sanji's thoughts battled with each other in his head. Part of him was awkward about being pressed against Zoro so tightly. A little voice from somewhere was screaming that this was _so wrong_ and would Zoro please get to their destination quickly so he could extricate himself from the other man's body. But another part of him, a very soft, very persuasive voice, was suggesting things like a lover might whisper into his ear. It said if only Sanji would unclench his fists, he would be able to feel the rippling muscles of Zoro's torso as they flexed beneath his shirt. If he relaxed his hips and slid forward, he would feel the firmness of Zoro's perfect ass against his most sensitive parts, and it would feel exquisite. What would it hurt? Zoro would like it. What was stopping him?

Sanji couldn't understand what was happening to him. Yes, Zoro and he had known each other for a few years, but to Sanji it was only a few weeks. What was causing this change? Why did Zoro, a man – _a man_ - he had known only a short time, affect him so deeply? What was it about this swordsman that drew Sanji to him like the tide against the shore?

Sanji squeezed his eyes shut and slowly, ever so slowly, as Zoro started up after stopping for a stop sign, relaxed his body and rested fully against the larger man's back. His hips encased Zoro's and his arms moved tighter around the muscular waist. He felt the very obvious tensing in the swordsman's frame and the slight, almost undetectable break in Zoro's shifting. Sanji paid it no mind, he just wanted to know what Zoro felt like, or rather, what _he_ would feel like if he dropped his guard around the other man. On the bike, in the middle of the night as they flew through the streets and the wind made speech impossible, Sanji could test himself without interruption or having to explain himself.

He was stunned by what he discovered. As he relaxed physically onto Zoro's body, his heart seemed to slow and take up a strong steady beating. His tension drained away as the swordsman's warmth enveloped him, invisible hands of comfort and strength wound their way into Sanji's soul and the cook was lost in the tranquility he found in letting himself give in. His body fit perfectly against the dips and hollows of Zoro's back. He suddenly wanted to burrow into this amazing heat and sleep for the rest of his life.

But the moment was broken as Zoro pulled into a parking lot and turned off the bike's engine. Sanji held on as Zoro sat up straight and pulled off his helmet.

"Sanji…" Zoro whispered. "Sanji, we're here."

"I know," the cook mumbled. "Just… give me a second."

Zoro was silent for a few moments before he let out a nervous chuckle and tugged on Sanji's sleeve.

"I don't remember you ever being afraid of riding."

Stupid asshole. "I'm not afraid, retard… I… just… I don't know... sorry." Sanji slipped his hands from around the other and pulled off his helmet. He lifted his leg and rose to a standing position. "Where are we? What is this place?"

"It's a club," Zoro said as he pulled off his helmet without looking at him. In fact, the older man seemed as if he was trying desperately to look anywhere _but_ Sanji.

"A club?" Sanji said confused. "Why can't I wear shoes to a club, Zoro?"

"You'll see in a minute, but first..." Zoro stopped and ran a hand through his hair.

That was when Sanji noticed the swordsman's hands were trembling. _Zoro_?_Trembling_? The cook realized if his experiment had affected him that much, there was no telling what Zoro had felt. Sanji began to feel like an asshole and opened his mouth to apologize again, but Zoro spoke first.

"There's a few things we need to talk about before we go inside."

Sanji blinked and slowly nodded his head. "Alright, like what?"

Zoro sighed and rested his hands on his helmet. "You and I are very well known here, so pretty much everyone who talks to you is going to know about… us."

Sanji groaned inwardly but said nothing and nodded again.

"This place is crawling with Bone's thugs and others who don't think very highly of us. It'll be really dangerous if any of those people find out you've lost your memory. They'll try and use it against us. You've got to understand that image and reputation are everything in this place. You _can not_ let anyone know you've got amnesia, Sanji… not anyone. Do you understand?"

Sanji set his helmet on the back of the bike and pulled out his pack. The thought that he might not have to pretend to be into the swordsman bothered him for a quick moment. But he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind for further contemplation at a later time. He wasn't ready to cross that bridge yet, it was too soon. He needed more time to roll the possibilities over in his head.

Sanji nodded once again as he lit up and pulled a shaky breath in. "Yeah, I understand…"

"Can you do this?" Zoro asked. "Will you be okay? This means you can't scream at anyone who says something about us, and I'm gonna have to touch you once in a while and you can't act like I'm poison…"

"Yeah," Sanji said huskily as he blew out a stream of smoke. "I'll be fine." He could pretend for one night. He might even be able to use this to his benefit. He wanted to experiment? Then he could experiment. "So when are you gonna explain to me what's going on?"

"It's easier to just show you," Zoro said as he lifted himself off the bike. He moved around to the back and retrieved his case from the lockbox. "I could explain it, but I would rather make it easy on myself and just take you down there."

Sanji felt that tingling sensation begin in the tips of his fingers and toes. His heart started pumping faster as his excitement from earlier returned in full.

The blonde eyed the oddly shaped case and fell into step alongside his friend.

"So what's in the case?"

Zoro grinned and looked at Sanji out the corner of his eye. "My swords."

"Your_swords_!? Wait, _WHAT_?"

X x X x X

Zoro tried to slow the erratic beating of his heart as he chained their helmets to the bike and led the way across the parking lot towards the club. He could still feel Sanji's arms around his waist, the wonderful heat that emitted from the cook and wrapped around his body; the feel of Sanji's thighs pressed against his own... It had been almost more than Zoro could stand. He had wanted more than anything to just pull over, turn around and wrap those long legs around him, pull off Sanji's helmet and bury his hands in the cook's hair as he feasted on the pale skin of his neck. He felt he could fly as Sanji's arms had come around him tighter and he had to stop one of his hands from leaving the handlebar and slipping his fingers between the cook's.

He had sat straddling the bike mustering up every ounce of willpower he possessed to command the massive hard on he had been sporting to go away. Zoro hadn't been able to look at Sanji as the blonde had stood there in all his rakish glory, smoking his cigarette and looking nothing but absolutely fuckable.

Zoro adjusted his sword case on his back and shook himself. He needed to have a clear head for tonight… especially now that Sanji was here. He had to be at his top game for the blonde, he had to show him what he could do…

They bypassed the long line of people that stretched around the side of the building and walked right up to the double doors.

"Are there usually this many people just getting here after midnight?" Sanji whispered at his side.

"This club doesn't come alive until after two o'clock," Zoro said.

"We can just waltz right in?" Sanji asked.

Zoro nodded and waved to a man with a shaved head and heavy lidded eyes standing in front of the door with a clip board. He was wearing a green jacket and a red bandana, the black t-shirt he wore underneath the jacket said 'staff' in big white letters. When the doorman saw Zoro, his face lit up and he waved back.

"Hey, Yosaku!" Zoro grinned.

"Zoro!" Yosaku exclaimed. "Bro what's up? You've been gone for like three weeks! Where've you…" Yosaku's voice trailed off when his eyes rolled over Sanji. The man stared for a few seconds and Zoro almost laughed when he caught a glance at the cook's face. The blonde was staring deadpan like only Sanji could do, a cigarette hanging loosely between his lips.

"S… Sanji?" Yosaku stuttered. "Is that really you?"

Sanji plucked the cigarette from his lips and blew out a long stream of smoke. "Who the fuck else could I be, genius?"

God he loved that shit cook.

Yosaku only took a moment to gape before he launched himself at the blonde, wrapping him in a tight embrace and lifting the significantly smaller man off his feet.

"Holy shit bro!" the bouncer cried. "I can't believe it! People are going to freak the fuck out when they see you! How long have you been back! How do you feel?"

Sanji kept his face straight as he was set back on the ground. He smoothed his jacket and placed his cigarette back between his lips.

"I've been awake for a couple weeks, been back home a few days."

"Oh ho ho!" Yosaku elbowed Zoro in the ribs and his grin spread wider. "I see! No wonder you haven't shown your face in a while Zoro, been 'catching up' yeah? Yeah? Be careful with our chef, bro; don't wanna break him when you just got him back!"

Zoro tried to chuckle at his friends lewd comment and was eternally grateful that Sanji smiled along with him. What happened next though blew the swordsman into another dimension. Sanji moved in close to Yosaku and with a smirk and murmured under his breath.

"Don't worry about me, man. I'm not the one who's got the shower knob imprints in my back."

Yosaku threw back his head and guffawed merrily as Zoro's jaw dropped. The swordsman quickly pulled himself back together and slapped a small smile on his face before his friend slung an arm over Sanji's shoulders.

"Holy shit, I missed you, Sanji!" the doorman produced a cell phone from his pocket and it the com button. "Johnny!" The phone was silent for a few seconds before there was a loud beep and an excited voice and loud music played through the speaker.

"Hey man! How goes it?"

Yosaku spoke into the speaker. "You gotta come outside dude!"

"Why? What's up?"

"Just come out here man! Drop whoever you're doing and get your ass outside!" He hung up and shoved the phone back in his pocket. "So, you guys here for Enel?"

Zoro was still reeling inwardly from Sanji's comment, but the mention of the champion boxer snapped him out of it. He had forgotten Enel was in town this month. The swordsman smiled at Yosaku; this was the perfect night to have come to the club.

"Yeah, kind of," Zoro said. "And I wanted to bring Sanji down to see all you guys. He bitched about it the whole time he was in the hospital."

"Fuck you, I don't bitch," Sanji crushed his cigarette and tossed it into the garbage a few feet away. "I coerce in a high voice."

As Yosaku started to laugh again, Johnny appeared in the doorway and broke out into a wide grin upon seeing Zoro. He pulled the sunglasses he always wore from his face and wrapped the swordsman in a crushing hug.

"Zoro bro!" The dark – haired man exclaimed. "Man it's good to see you! You've been gone forever!"

Yosaku pulled Johnny off of Zoro and turned him around. "He's got a great excuse, dude. Look who he brought with him!"

Johnny's eyes fell on Sanji and the tall man froze. Zoro wanted to laugh as tears instantly sprung up in the big man's eyes, but he held it in. He watched as Sanji was gathered up in another hug that pulled him off the ground.

"Oh my God, Sanji!" Johnny cried. "We thought you were a goner, and now look at you! You look great! You look ready to kick some ass! Holy shit I can't believe you're here!"

"You know," Sanji growled. "If I'm going to be greeted by everyone like this, I'm just gonna go home now."

Zoro gently pulled Johnny off the cook and patted his shoulder. "We love you guys, but if we don't get inside, I'm going to be late for the posts."

"Oh shit! That's right!" Yosaku exclaimed. "Sorry bro! Get in there!"

Zoro waved to his friends and motioned for Sanji to follow him inside. The cook fell into step behind him with his hands deep in his pockets. The swordsman turned and brought his lips close to Sanji's ear so he could be heard over the pounding bass line.

"I can't believe what you said back there."

Sanji smiled and scratched at his stubbled chin. "Any man can become a good actor after wooing women for over ten years."

"You haven't been wooing women for over ten years." Zoro playfully pushed the cook's shoulder.

"Yeah," Sanji replied. "You're right, it's more like twelve. I was a stud in middle school."

The two made their way through the flashing lights and the crowded, pulsing dance floor to the back of the room. Zoro stopped at a bar and leaned over the counter to grab a large brown leather book. He flipped it open to the current date and added his name to a list. After he was finished, he replaced the book and turned to Sanji.

"Okay," Zoro said, "this is where it gets dangerous. Beyond this point, no one is really a friend. This business is dog eat dog. Stay with me at all times, don't leave my side, and act like you own the place. Okay?"

Sanji nodded and Zoro felt a tremor shoot up his spine at the sparkle he saw in the cook's eyes. He knew Sanji was brilliant when it came to this sort of thing, but he couldn't help but worry. He adjusted the bandana so it rode low over his forehead and grinned at the cook.

"Alright, let's do this."

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

First off, I'm so sorry I've taken so long to update! My hubby came home from Iraq for a few weeks of R&R, I had surgery, my grandparents got realsick bla bla bla. Anyway, here is chapter 10 finally!! It's kind of 'talky' but I think it's needed. I wanted there to be a lengthy talk between Zoro and Sanji about Zoro's swords, and I didn't want to rush the introduction of the new characters.

Also, thank you so much for the reviews!! There were a few that really stuck out and made me really happy! Thank you guys so much for your continuing support!! I love you guys! Enjoy!! XD

**Chapter 10**

"_Okay," Zoro said, "this is where it gets dangerous. Beyond this point, no one is really a friend. This business is dog eat dog. Stay with me at all times, don't leave my side, and act like you own the place. Okay?"_

_Sanji nodded and Zoro felt a tremor shoot up his spine at the sparkle he saw in the cook's eyes. He knew Sanji was brilliant when it came to this sort of thing, but he couldn't help but worry. He adjusted the bandana so it rode low over his forehead and grinned at the cook._

"_Alright, let's do this."_

X xx X

Sanji followed Zoro down a wide hallway lined with people mingling and sipping on drinks. Most of the crowd was dressed in black like himself, but there were a few people sporting regular clubbing attire -- mostly girls with short skirts and uncomfortable high heeled shoes. Towards the back, Sanji noticed the number of people increased. They gathered outside a large door leading to the basement. Sanji was about to lean in close to Zoro and complain again about his lack of shoes, when a startled cry erupted from the middle of the crowd, effectively cutting him off.

"Holy shit!"

Sanji sighed and cursed under his breath as a tall man wearing a black collared jacket and black baseball cap launched himself over - _over?_ - the heads of some very surprised people and took off down the hall in their direction at neck-breaking speed. Sanji wasn't sure what to do except brace himself for impact, but he was pleasantly surprised when the man abruptly stopped less than a foot in front of him. The man grinned madly at Sanji from beneath rounded eyes and a ridiculously long nose that would put Usopp's to shame.

"Well lan'sakes, if it isn't Sanji!" the man chortled as he held out his hand. "It's very nice to see you again! We've missed you something terrible! How are you feeling?"

The manner of this man's speech threw Sanji off more than the sight of his nose. He sounded like an old man, even though he looked only a few years older than himself. Sanji reached out his hand to shake the other's and exuded as much false confidence as he could.

"Feeling great, thanks."

Zoro spoke up from his side. "Sorry I haven't been around in a while, Kaku, but as you can see, I have a good excuse. How goes it?"

Kaku turned to smile warmly at Zoro and offered him his hand as well. Sanji quickly realized he liked this long nosed man. Gentlemen with manners who understood customs and courtesies were few and far between. As soon as he got used to this Kaku's strange way of talking, he was sure they would get along fine.

"Things haven't been the same without you," Kaku sighed. "Did you hear we're down over three hundred points? Lucci and I have been able to hold our own and Kumadori has been doing alright, but Blueno is on a business trip and Jyabura dislocated his kneecap a few weeks ago and hasn't been able to participate. With Enel being here now we were starting to worry."

"I'm sorry man," Zoro ran a hand through his hair. " I had no idea, it hasn't really come up in conversation. What about Fukurou?"

"Fukurou's got finals. His ma' has him on house arrest," Kaku chuckled softly as Zoro rolled his eyes.

Sanji was getting more and more frustrated as the conversation continued. He didn't know any of these people, and still had no idea what they were doing here or what this club was all about. He stood with his hands in his pockets trying to look bored as the two other men talked.

"How's the wife?" Zoro asked.

"Kalifa's good," Kaku beamed. "She should be getting the posts ready right about now. I'll tell her you're here, Sanji, she'll be really happy to see you."

Sanji nodded and cracked a lazy smile.

"You're in tonight, right?" Kaku asked, turning back to Zoro.

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, I am. Speaking of, we'll talk to you later. I gotta go get ready." He motioned for Sanji to follow him towards the large door. Kaku waved as they started down a long flight of steps and said he'd meet up with them later on.

The stairs ended in a large basement stretching the length of the building. People crowded the area, talking and laughing over the loud pounding of the dance floor music being filtered through mounted speakers along the walls. Sanji's senses tingled as his feet hit the concrete floor. He felt a high tension hanging in the air very similar to the atmosphere at tournaments and martial arts games. He paused to breathe in; the smell of sweat and woman's perfume was doing little to hide the unmistakable stench of dried blood.

He now understood what this was, it all made sense finally. It was something like an underground fighting club. He'd heard of this back when he was working at the Baratie but could never find out where it all went down. His adrenaline kicked into high gear as Zoro pushed through the throng of bodies. The two were greeted by several people as they made their way along the wall towards the back, but Zoro kept the conversations short. The swordsman seemed to be anxious to get wherever he was going and Sanji was eager to get somewhere private so he could talk to Zoro without anyone overhearing them.

Finally Zoro opened a metal door leading into what looked like a small locker room. Inside were two men dressed entirely in black, one was wrapping his wrists with orange boxing tape and the other was icing his shoulder as he looked over his bruised face in the mirror. The two looked up as Zoro and Sanji entered and both men simultaneously acquired the same shocked faces.

"Out," Zoro commanded and the two men all but ran from the room.

Sanji shut the door behind him and leaned against the wall.

"You can smoke down here if you want," Zoro said as he set his case on a table against the wall.

Sanji wasted no time pulling out his pack and lighting up. He stayed leaning against the wall as he watched Zoro strip out of his leather jacket and long sleeved shirt, leaving him in a black sleeveless top and showing off several wicked scars on his shoulder blades.

"So you get it now?" Zoro asked.

Sanji took a drag and shoved his free hand in his pocket. "It's an underground fighting club isn't it? I'm guessing the fighters wear all black to distinguish themselves from the rest of the regular club hoppers." Zoro nodded at his assessment and he continued. "Are we on some kind of team with the long nose guy?"

"Yeah, something like that," Zoro explained as he lifted his right arm over his head in a long stretch. "Our captain's a guy named Rob Lucci. He's from Britain and used to be part of their Criminal Investigations Division or some Interpol something or other. Our name, CP9, sort of came from that. CP for Cipher Pole, and nine 'cause there's nine of us. This club is owned by a guy named Crocodile and he's ultimately our… I guess boss. He's some rich-ass, ex-mob guy I've never really met. But anyway, anyone is allowed to fight here, but there's only nine of us that go to compete in other states. CP9 represents the underground fighting world of Seattle."

"What did he mean by we're down three hundred points?" Sanji asked.

Zoro pulled his arm across his chest to stretch his shoulder as he continued. "Every match won by a representative of a city earns the city one hundred points. I said before, anyone can fight here, but only CP9 earns or loses points for Seattle. So that means if we were up two hundred points when I left, CP9's had at least five losses in the past few weeks. It's not surprising though. Reps from Los Angelis are here right now and their captain is this guy Enel. He's an amazing fighter… got a couple world boxing titles. I'll probably get paired up with him tonight and that would be fucking sweet."

Sanji took in all the new information, but frowned suddenly, remembering what Zoro had said back before they had left. "So how does this pay for our apartment?"

Zoro grinned and started to crack his knuckles. "The spectators bet on all our matches. Paulie, our bookie, makes sure we get at least a quarter of our winnings after every fight."

Sanji nodded. "Sounds good. What kind of figures are you talking?"

"Well, my fights usually bring in anywhere from thirty-two to forty-five."

Sanji's jaw dropped. "_Thousand_?"

Zoro nodded.

"Wait…" Sanji pushed off the wall and moved closer as the taller man sat on the bench to retie his boots. "So, you're saying you take home anywhere from eight-thousand to eleven-thousand _each fight_?"

"Wow, did you just do that in your head?"

"Answer the question," Sanji made a face.

"Yes," Zoro chuckled.

Sanji stood dumbfounded as Zoro grinned up at him. He couldn't believe it! He could make more money in a week here than he could in several months at the Baratie! The whole situation seemed so unreal, the cook's head started to spin.

"So… how much did I make?"

Zoro returned to retying his shoes. "You'd be surprised how many of the top high rollers here are female. They throw down loads of cash to watch you kicking ass, it's very amusing…"

"Zoro you're killing me."

"Forty to sixty easy."

Sanji had been shocked before, but now he was so far into the realm of mind-blowing he felt he might never return. He stood slack, staring at the wall as his cigarette burned closer and closer to his lips.

"You all right. Sanji?" Zoro finished tying his shoe and sat up straight, trying to bite back his laughter.

Sanji blinked stupidly. "Give me a second to regroup… I think my brain might be leaking out my ears." He slipped his hands in his pockets and brought his gaze down to stare at the swordsman sitting before him. "You know this is… this is crazy… right?"

Zoro shrugged. "There's a lot of filthy rich, bored-ass people in Seattle."

"So… how well off are we, Zoro?"

Zoro's smile faded and his eyes left Sanji to regard the floor. He took only a few seconds to answer, but it was enough time for Sanji to feel those small tendrils of worry start to coil in his gut.

"Well…" the swordsman said in a quiet voice. "We had a bit saved up, but I spent it all… on your um… your hospital bills."

Sanji almost dropped his cigarette before crushing it between his fingers. _Fuck_, he was never going to be able to repay Zoro for everything he had done. He saw the nervous tension in the swordsman's shoulders and, for the millionth time since he had woken up in his hospital bed, felt like shit for everything he had put his friend through. A surge of guilt welled up inside Sanji and he looked at the floor, using his blonde hair as a cover to hide his shame.

"God, Zoro…" Sanji whispered. "I'm… I'm so sorry."

Zoro stood abruptly and caught Sanji's arm in a firm grip. The cook was so startled he let out a soft cry and dropped the cigarette butt. The swordsman stared hard into the blonde's eyes as he spoke around a clenched jaw.

"_Don't you ever apologize for that_," his voice was unsteady and Sanji was in turmoil on whether to pull away or move in closer to Zoro's body. The taller man seemed to sense Sanji's plight and lessened his grip slightly. He rubbed his thumb over the tender spot on the cook's bicep. "Sanji… I already told you it wasn't your fault…"

Sanji was losing himself in the feel of Zoro's caress on his arm. The swordsman's eyes were so intense he felt they were burning into his skin. He stared back as he felt himself being taken apart piece by piece, stripped of everything underneath Zoro's dark gaze. He felt shivers trailing up his spine as Zoro's eyes lowered to his mouth. He couldn't stop himself from parting his lips and running his tongue over the soft flesh. He felt an unprecedented exhilaration flare inside of him as Zoro's breath hitched at the action.

"I can't…" Sanji tried to collect his wits enough to speak. "I can't help but apologize, Zoro. I've been this horrible burden and I'll never be able to repay you!"

Zoro let out a frustrated growl towards the ceiling. "Stop saying stupid shit like that!" He lowered his head and pulled Sanji all way in close to his body, gripping both the cook's arms and bringing their foreheads together. "I don't need to be repaid for anything! You were _never_…" he trailed off and closed his eyes.

"You _could never_ be a burden to me, Sanji…"

Sanji's heart raced as excitement rocketed down his spine and the slightest hint of fear started to curl in the pit of his stomach. The swordsman seemed to have been pushed through a very important emotional wall. His stoic countenance and calm manner were crumbling around the edges and Sanji swore he saw through to a very lonely and vulnerable Zoro.

Something tugged at Sanji's heart. He felt the pull he had felt deep in his soul ever since he had first laid eyes on the swordsman. Seeing the seemingly infallible man losing his inner battle right before Sanji's eyes made the cook want to throw his arms around those broad shoulders and hold Zoro like it was the last thing on earth he was ever going to do. He wanted to tell Zoro everything was all right; that he wasn't going anywhere. _Don't be upset, I can't bear seeing you upset… not when it's because of me…_

The feeling scared the shit out of him.

Sanji needed an escape and he needed it now. He couldn't handle all these wayward emotions churning inside of him at the same time. He felt so overwhelmed that he almost let himself go and just succumbed to his breakdown. But he knew Zoro would not appreciate dealing with a hysterical Sanji right before he had to fight, so he racked his brain for a change of subject.

"Zoro…" Sanji said softly.

Zoro's eyes snapped open, seeming to suddenly realize their position and pulled away quickly. He crossed his arms over his chest and started to grind his teeth slightly. "Sorry…" he murmured.

"It's alright," Sanji said. "I was just going to ask you to show me your swords."

It was like throwing a light switch. Tension drained from Zoro's face, his eyes went instantly from miserable and cloudy to bright and indomitable. Gone was the lonely and defeated man, replaced by a determined warrior. It was the Zoro that Sanji had grown so fond of in the last few weeks. The excited Zoro that talked about NASKA and defeating Hawk to be the best. Sanji's mood reflected the swordsman's and he felt his own spirits lifting.

Zoro turned to the table and motioned for Sanji to come closer. He unzipped the black case and unfolded the two halves. Sanji stepped up beside the swordsman and leaned in as the treasure inside was revealed to him.

Settled in leather and secured by several dark cords, were two long samurai swords. They were both sheathed in scabbards of black lacquer, one with accents of gold and reds throughout the hilts and guards, and the other, wrapped in a deep purple with decorative red circles down the sheath. They were beautiful and terrifying, sleek and dangerous.

"Wow," Sanji said feeling a little lame. "They're amazing, Zoro."

Zoro pointed to the closest weapon, the one with red accents in the hilt. "This is Sandai Kitetsu. It's a simple katana, but it's never failed me." He pointed to the second and a small smile pulled at the corners if his mouth. "This is Shuusui. I won this one at a tournament a few years ago. It's a daito, meaning it's longer and heavier. I like it a lot, but mostly because of the hamon."

"Hamon?" Sanji asked.

Zoro untied the cords fastening Shuusui in the case and pulled the sword from the sheath. "The hamon is the visual effect on the blade after it's been tempered. See?" Zoro pointed to the blade.

"It's… pink?" Sanji blinked. "Why is it pink?"

Zoro laughed. "It's just how it reflects the light. It's one of a kind, and it's easy to use even though it's big."

"I see," Sanji said, intrigued, but couldn't pass up a chance to tease the swordsman. "I guess if you like pink, it's cool."

"You have a pink apron."

"Hush," Sanji couldn't hide his smile. "What are these red circles on the… sheath… thing?"

"Saya."

"Saya," Sanji smiled. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Zoro smiled at him. "They're just decoration, but they add to the overall garishness of the sword, which makes it kind of... I don't know… exceptional."

"Is this one your main? Like, your weapon of choice?" Sanji asked.

"Nope," Zoro said. He unzipped the opposite side and pulled back the flap. Sanji's breath caught and a soft sound of awe escaped from between his lips as a third sword was revealed.

As brilliant as the two blacks were, they didn't hold a candle to this one. Strapped into the opposite flap, rested a sword sheathed in white. Its handle was accented in gold along with its guard, as was the center and tip of the saya. Sanji's eyes were captivated and couldn't look away from the magnificent weapon. It was nothing less than a work of art.

Zoro followed his gaze and ran his fingers down the white sheath. "This is Wadō Ichimonji," he said softly. "She belonged to someone very special to me."

Sanji tore his eyes away from the sword and looked at Zoro. "Someone special?" he asked.

Zoro nodded. "I trained with her for many years. She inspired me to always try my hardest… always strive to be the best."

Sanji felt a tiny prickle of jealousy dance over his skin as he watched the look of fondness spread over Zoro's face, but he quickly tried to ignore it. There was no way he was going to be jealous in any situation involving Zoro.

"Where is she now?" the blonde asked.

Zoro sighed and untied the leather cords that held Wadō in place.

"She died…"

_Oh nice… real nice, Sanji. Way the fuck to go. Can you be any more of an asshole? Hm?_

Sanji winced and turned back to the sword. "I'm sorry…" he said, mentally kicking himself.

"It's all right," Zoro said evenly. "It doesn't hurt me to talk about her anymore, especially with you. It was a long time ago." He took the weapon from the case reverently and slid the metal from the saya.

"It's incredible," Sanji breathed, watching the steel gleam as it reflected the light from above them. "Is that the one you'll be fighting with tonight?"

"Actually," Zoro grinned at him. "I'll be fighting with all three."

Sanji turned and blinked at the swordsman.

"Excuse me?" Sanji squinted and shook his head. Maybe he shouldn't have come with Zoro and just slept instead, he was starting to hear things.

"I said I'm going to use all three tonight," Zoro's smile was widening with every passing second. "I don't usually, but since you'll be seeing me fight for the first time, and Enel's here… might as well go all out."

Sanji was sure Zoro was pulling his leg. "All three at the same time?" he asked. "How the hell can that possibly work?"

Zoro plucked the remaining two swords from the case. "I'll show you." He gripped the red and black in his right hand and added the purple to his left. As Sanji watched with a disbelieving eyebrow cocked, the swordsman placed the hilt of the white between his teeth so the blade jutted out to the side. If anyone else had done this, Sanji was sure they would have looked ridiculous, but for some reason, Zoro did not. He looked very… menacing actually.

"You're not serious," Sanji snorted, trying to ignore pleasant shivers tickling his lower back.

"I'm serious," Zoro said clearly.

Sanji's eyeballs nearly fell out of his head.

"Wow! Do that again!"

It was Zoro's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"That!" Sanji laughed. "How the hell do you talk clearly with a sword in your mouth!" _Oh nice, that couldn't be taken the wrong way at all…_

Zoro shrugged. "I have no idea. It's just always been that way."

Sanji stood shaking his head and reached for his cigarette pack. He placed a stick between his lips, but didn't light up. "You are one interesting guy, Zoro."

The swordsman took Wadō from his mouth. "Thanks, I guess?" He placed all three weapons back in the case and unzipped a side pouch. From deep inside the pocket, he pulled out a piece of heavy, black fabric and slipped it over his head. Sanji watched in interest as the swordsman settled the strange garment over the top of his pants, covering his lower stomach.

"What is that?" Sanji asked.

"It's called a haramaki," Zoro answered.

"What does it do?"

Zoro pulled the swords from the case once again and slipped the sheaths between his clothes and the new piece of cloth. "Just gives me a place to put these until the fight starts. These were originally used by samurai as belly protectors. They were made out of silk and filled with chainmail or armor plating." Zoro tapped his knuckle on the front of his own haramaki. "It's not really necessary, since I don't really have to worry about someone sneaking up and gutting me, but I like the feel of it. It's good for blood circulation and back support."

"Ah," Sanji said. He would never admit it out loud, but the strange garment did look kind of cool. It, combined with the solid black outfit, earrings, and bandanna that shadowed his eyes, made Zoro look pretty bad ass. Like… a ninja… or a pirate… or… something.

"Sanji…" Zoro suddenly said quietly.

"Hm?" Sanji looked up and almost recoiled as he met Zoro's nervous eyes. "You okay, Zoro?"

"Uh…" the swordsman rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… I just… are you--"

Whatever Zoro was going to say was cut off as the door opened and two large shapes flew into the room. The cook barely had time to let out a surprised yelp before he was tackled and lifted off the ground by a pair of thick, muscular arms.

"Sanjiiiiiiii!" a voice cried in his ear. "I can't believe it!"

Sanji decided, rather than scream or flail, to rap his legs around his assailant and use his powerful hip muscles to bend backwards. The cook raised his arms and pulled the body attached to his own over him with his legs. Sanji's hands found purchase on the floor and he flipped the other body around, effectively smashing his attacker's back against the cool concrete. He finished off the move by sitting down on a hard stomach, pulling out his lighter, and nonchalantly lighting his cigarette. The cook glared down at a man with an absurdly long moustache and pointed goatee as he inhaled.

"That was infinitely rude, man," Sanji drawled. "Zoro and I were having 'a moment'."

The man's stunned face instantly broke out into a grin and he sat up, wrapping his arms around Sanji's waist and squeezing until the blonde felt his head was going to explode.

_Jesus! Some people just never learn!_

"Jyabura!" A deep, musical voice cried out. "Get off him! He just recently woke up from a coma!" Two large, pale hands came down to pry the moustached man off Sanji's chest.

The cook looked up to see an exceptionally tall man with long white hair and… makeup?

"But Kumadori!" Jyabura whined into Sanji's chest. "It's _Sanji_! I just wanna cuddle! He's been gone forever!"

Kumadori grinned broadly at Sanji as he pried Jyabura's arms from around the cook's slim waist. "I know that, but we won't get a chance to talk to him if you're going to _suffocate_ _him_!"

"I know, I know," Jyabura sighed. He released Sanji so the cook could stand, before getting to his feet and dusting off his backside. "Not like I could ever really hurt him though. Even on recovery from a coma, he can still kick my ass."

Sanji instantly liked this Jyabura.

"How do you feel, Sanji?" Kumadori stepped forward to shake the cook's hand. "We really missed you. It's too bad Fukurou isn't here tonight. He'd be so happy to see you."

Sanji blew out a stream of smoke. "It might be a good thing he's not. I don't think I could handle any more hugs."

The pink-haired man chortled. Sanji took a few seconds to study Kumadori's face, realizing that his makeup was so perfect it almost looked like a tattoo. Sanji tried to remember where he had seen makeup applied like this man's before but after quickly racking his brain, he couldn't come up with anything.

"Hey," Zoro interrupted, coming to stand beside Sanji. "Are the posts up yet?"

"Yeah," Jyabura crossed his arms over his chest. "We saw your name before Kaku came and told us Sanji was with you."

Sanji could feel the excitement rolling off Zoro in waves as the swordsman leaned in impatiently.

"Well?" Zoro growled.

"Oh, what do you think, Zoro?" Kumadori lifted his hands over his head in a very boisterous manner. "Kalifa and Paulie would have to be _out of their minds_ not to pair you with Enel! This fight is going to make the club more money than that time Sanji fought that Arlong guy!"

Zoro tilted his head back and closed his eyes. "Fuck yes," he whispered before turning to Sanji. "Wanna go?"

Sanji nodded, the exhilarating feeling of adrenaline returned and the cook grinned around his cigarette.

"Yes please."

Zoro turned to Kumadori and Jyabura. "We'll catch up with you guys later. We're going to go watch the first fight, get Sanji back in the swing of things."

The two nodded, smiling, and Jyabura stole another quick hug before Zoro and Sanji slipped out of the locker room.

The atmosphere in the open basement had changed. The air was thicker as more bodies had descended the stairs and filled the area. The bar along the wall had opened and a small crowd was yelling for drinks and shouting their orders over one another's heads. The music hadn't stopped, but the volume had been turned down enough to make the pulsing bass line a pleasant background lull.

Sanji watched in awe as he followed closely behind Zoro. The sea of people seemed to part for them as they made their way towards the center of the darkly lit room. Countless pairs of wide eyes jumped from Zoro to Sanji, back and forth with admiration, surprise, and sometimes fear. The cook suddenly felt very powerful, like everyone in the room wanted him, like everyone wanted to _be_ him -- him or Zoro. Sanji started to realized that CP9 was an almost celebrity level status. People came to this club to see them, to watch them fight. They paid ridiculous amounts of money, gambled on them beating their opponents and raising the status of their home city.

Sanji was simultaneously thrilled, apprehensive, and scared out of his mind.

Zoro turned to him, seeming to sense Sanji's anxiousness. Without warning and before the cook could refuse or react, the swordsman's hand caught his and laced his sword calloused fingers between Sanji's.

The cook almost tripped as his muscles froze, but he regained his footing and followed Zoro through the crowd without complaint. He needed to keep the appearance that nothing was amiss. Zoro had said there were many people looking for weaknesses and ways to exploit him by using Sanji. He wouldn't be the reason Zoro was brought down or defeated. He wouldn't freak out at the sudden intimate contact with the swordsman, no matter how much it bothered him that it didn't bother him.

_Breathe Sanji… just breathe…_

In the center of the basement, set into the concrete floor, was what looked like an empty swimming pool. The floor and walls of the pit were covered in white tile and two large drains were installed at opposite ends. A thick metal railing surrounded the top and people were already pressed up against it, waiting for the fighters to descend the ladders and tear each other apart.

"Oh wow…" Sanji breathed at Zoro's back.

"Intense huh?" Zoro replied.

Sanji nodded and let Zoro pull him to the edge. He was momentarily distracted from the fighting pit as Zoro moved to stand directly behind him and slid his arms around the cook's waist to place his large hands on the railing. Sanji stiffened as he felt Zoro's warm breath dance across the back of his neck, tickling his skin and ruffling his hair.

"Zoro, what a-"

"I promise I won't do anything," Zoro whispered in his ear. "I won't touch you unless I have to, or you say I can."

Sanji tried to keep his face passive. To anyone watching, it would look like two lovers talking quietly together as they waited for the fight.

_Breathe Sanji… _

"It's…" Sanji took a shallow breath. "It's okay… I'm okay…"

The breath on Sanji's neck halted for a moment before Zoro whispered again. Sanji tried not to shiver as Zoro would be able to tell and probably take it the wrong way.

"I really appreciate the way you've handled everything tonight, Sanji." Zoro's voice was so soft… so gentle. "I know a lot of this bothers you, and I'm sorry… but I'm so glad you're here with me right now."

Sanji couldn't help but smile. He relaxed his shoulders and leaned his hips against the railing.

"I'm glad I'm here too…"

Zoro wasn't touching any part of Sanji's body, but the cook could tell the swordsman was trembling. It was definitely Zoro who needed the out now and Sanji was ready for it.

"So why is our team made up of such weirdoes?" Sanji muttered good-naturedly.

Zoro chuckled behind him. "Because all of those weirdoes are amazing fighters. Kaku is amazing at kenjutsu, sometimes I think his style is better than mine, but he rarely uses it. He's also a master in judo. You used to spar with him and get these ugly purple welts on your sides. The scariest thing about Kaku is that he'll smile and continue to be polite even while he's beating you to a pulp."

Sanji couldn't help but laugh.

"Jyabura is a character. He's a veterinarian and loves animals so he's a little cuddly and clingy but… still a good guy. He's pretty diverse, he knows all kinds of martial arts, and he's really fast."

"I have to know about the makeup guy though," Sanji shook his head. "What was his name?"

"Kumadori," Zoro answered. "He's a theater actor. I think that's all I have to say about him personality wise."

Sanji chuckled again. "That's where I had seen that makeup before! That Japanese musical! He looks like the executioner!"

"You mean _The_ _Mikado_?" Zoro started to laugh.

"Yeah," Sanji turned his head. "How'd you know?"

Zoro groaned. "Because he was in it last year, and he made me go to it _four times_!"

Laughing heartily, Sanji started counting on his fingers. "So, you, me, Kaku, Kumadori and Jyabura… what was our captain's name again?"

"Lucci," Zoro said quietly.

"And then there's that Fukurou guy that's not here... and the guy on the business trip…" Sanji looked at his fingers.

"Blueno," Zoro said.

Sanji looked back up and turned his head toward Zoro. "I thought you said there were nine of us."

"There are," Zoro said, his voice low. He didn't meet Sanji's eyes.

Sanji couldn't figure out why the swordsman had suddenly become so rigid. His entire body was stiff and the look on his face was one of pure… something… terror? Shock?

Suddenly, Sanji realized what had happened. Without thinking he had leaned back onto Zoro until his back was flush with the swordsman's chest. Zoro's hand had moved to rest on his hip somewhere during the conversation. The cook felt the hard press of the haramaki and the firmness of Zoro's chest against his back.

_Oh shit!_ Sanji's mind raced. _How did that happen? My body is acting on its own!_

Zoro's gaze lifted to meet Sanji's. His dark eyes were so sad they made the cook want to cry. The hand didn't move from his hip though and Sanji was sure it was still there because Zoro thought he was going to bolt.

"I swear I didn't do it," Zoro said against Sanji's cheek.

"I know," Sanji replied slowly. "I'm sorry."

Zoro's hand spread over the top of Sanji's jeans, his fingers and thumb encasing the cook's sharp hipbone in a gentle but firm grip.

"I'm not…" Zoro whispered.

For what felt like the millionth time in the last two days, Sanji was paralyzed. He couldn't look away from Zoro's eyes. How did the swordsman manage to convey so much emotion with just a look? How did he render Sanji so completely and utterly useless?

And why the hell did it feel so good?

Sanji's hand left the railing tentatively of its own accord. It moved slowly, only stopping as the tips of Sanji's fingers brushed against the smooth skin of Zoro's cheek. His other hand moved to his hip to hover over Zoro's other hand. Zoro stayed rigid, watching and waiting to see what Sanji was going to do. Sanji's fingers trailed down Zoro's cheek and traced a soft line along the strong jaw. Sanji felt Zoro's trembling increase as the larger man lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Slowly, carefully, the cook brought his fingers to Zoro's lips. The swordsman stopped breathing as Sanji ran the pad of his middle finger over the soft bottom lip.

Whatever spell had been cast in that moment was broken by a loud voice directly behind Sanji.

"Sanji! Why are you here?! Chopper said you needed to rest!"

Suddenly feeling like he had been walked in on while relieving himself of a little tension in the shower, Sanji's head whipped around fast enough to pop his spine. There beside him, squatting on the railing in black shorts and a black t-shirt with a colorful lollypop between his teeth, was none other than Luffy.

"_Luffy_!" Sanji almost screeched. "_What the fuck are you doing here_!?"

Zoro released his hip and stepped back a few inches.

"Sanji," the swordsman sighed. "Meet the ninth member of Seattle's CP9... Luffy Portgus."

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

Phew! Finally finished this!! Thank you so much for the reviews! I tried to answer them all, if I didn't get to you, I am so very sorry. Sometimes my compy s--ts the bed and my messages and emails don't go through. Just know that I appreciated your comments! XD I hope you all enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 11**

"Sanji," Zoro sighed. "Meet the ninth member of Seattle's CP9... Luffy Portgus."

Luffy gave Sanji one of his maniac grins around his lollypop and waved. The boy seemed to be enjoying the look of stunned defiance on the cook's face. Zoro was enjoying it as well, but not nearly as much. The swordsman's head was still spinning from the soft brush of Sanji's fingers over his skin.

Zoro's heart still hammered against his ribcage like a caged beast, threatening to burst if not released. Every place Sanji had touched him tingled. His cheek, his jaw, his chest, his lower- _God_! The hand that had held the cook's hip hummed as if charged with electricity. He remembered those hips so well. He remembered the smooth feel of that pale skin under his palms as powerful muscles flexed over him… or beneath him. His hands had found a happy resting place on those hips countless times. They were Zoro's favorite part of Sanji's body… except maybe his eyes…

"This has gotta be some kind of joke!" Sanji's voice broke through Zoro's memories. "Why are you really here, Luffy?"

Luffy turned to Zoro and his grin widened before he turned back to the blond. "Zoro already told you, Sanji. I'm part of CP9."

The shock seemed to be wearing off and Sanji made a face. "Oh _hell_ no, Luffy you're like _twelve_! You can't be in an illegal fighting club at two o'clock in the morning! Your dad will _kill_ me if he ever finds out! And then he'll bring me back to life so he can _kill me all over again_!"

Zoro tried not to laugh as Luffy sat blinking at Sanji.

"I'm not twelve, Sanji. I'm twenty-two."

Sanji ran a hand down his face. "I didn't mean literally, Luffy!" The cook seemed to be on the verge of a hysterical fit. He absently started to search for his pack of cigarettes as Luffy slipped off the railing to stand beside him. "Does Nami know about this?"

"Of course she does," Luffy said happily. "She comes and watches all the time."

Zoro bit his lip to keep his smirk at bay as he turned to his young friend. "Are you in tonight, Luffy?"

"I was gonna sign in," Luffy answered, "but I saw your name and thought it'd be cooler to just sit back tonight and watch you beat Enel. Maybe if we have time afterwards, I can fight Lucci."

"Fight Lucci?" Sanji looked at the dark-haired boy quizzically. "Why would you fight someone on your own team?"

Zoro answered for him. "Luffy challenges Lucci all the time. If he beats him, Luffy will have the captain's position."

"Not 'if'," Luffy folded his arms and puffed out his chest. "'When'. I _will_ be captain."

Sanji shook his head and lit a cigarette.

"Captain of an illegal underground fighting division… D. is gonna rip out my heart and eat it…"

Luffy chuckled at Sanji's agonizing. "He won't kill you, Sanji. You know my dad, he probably already knows."

Sanji's shoulders slumped in defeat. "True…"

A bell rang, echoing through the large room and the din of loud conversation switched abruptly into a chorus of cheering, clapping and whistling. Zoro turned to watch a tall man with shaggy brown hair climb down the ladder and enter the pit. His opponent, a shorter, bulkier man with a shaved head, had forgone the opposite ladder and jumped down from the railing. The swordsman watched the two fighters as they circled each other.

"Match number one!" A voice rang out across the fighting ring. Zoro didn't need to look up to know it was Paulie calling the fights. "Harper verses Peterson!"

"Mmm… mell," Luffy said as he sucked on his candy. "Hish'll he huick huh?"

Zoro moved forward to stand beside Sanji against the railing. The cook's face was passive, but Zoro could read the heavy tension in Sanji's jaw and the blond's one visible eye sparkled with excitement. The swordsman recognized the look instantly and knew Sanji's brain was taking each fighter apart piece by piece. He was learning everything he ever needed to know about their capabilities from the way they moved; the way their feet carried them across the tiled floor.

Sanji took a slow drag from his cigarette. "Mmm…" he said softly. "Quick but not that quick. Tall guy's gonna take a few minutes to wear this other guy out and then hit him hard at the end."

Zoro spared a short glance at the fighters below but quickly turned back to Sanji. He couldn't care less about what was happening around him, all Zoro wanted to do was listen to Sanji talk about it. Lean in close and listen as Sanji's velvety baritone played in his ears and the smell of spices and smoke filled his lungs. Excitement flared in Zoro's gut as soft blonde hair tickled the end of his nose.

"How can you tell?" Zoro breathed against Sanji's ear.

This was a game Sanji and he had played countless times during the beginning fights. It was their own strange kind of foreplay before one of them went out and defeated another opponent. Sanji tensed slightly as Zoro whispered to him but he didn't become completely rigid or try to pull away. The swordsman took this as a good sign and continued to bait the cook.

"What makes you think the tall guy's got it?" His lips brushed against the back of Sanji's hair. "Baldy's center of balance is better, he's stronger, and he also has all his weight on opposite ends of his feet."

Sanji turned his head and glared at Zoro out of the corner of his eye. His lips were inches away, but the swordsman made no moves. The cook blew out a thin stream of smoke and for a moment, the rest of the room became a haze to Zoro. All he could see was the soft gold of Sanji's hair and the crystal blue of his eye.

"Typical of a swordsman," Sanji muttered, although his ruse was given away as the corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "You obviously don't understand anything about martial arts unless there's large sticks 

involved." The blond reached his hand up and grabbed Zoro's chin. He turned the other's face to look at the fighters in the pit.

"Just because you're thicker, doesn't mean you're stronger. Also, watch as the bald guy walks," Sanji instructed. "His center of balance is _not_ better. See how it's all hinging in his gut? He has everything evenly distributed on both feet. You would think that's good, but it's not."

Zoro watched as the heavier man lunged forward. His speed was admirable, but Sanji was right, the taller man easily maneuvered out of the way and fluidly sidestepped around his opponent.

"The even distribution makes him slower," Zoro commented.

"Correct," Sanji took another drag. "Now look at the tall guy. His center is his pelvis. Look at the way he bends. It gives him a larger range of motion and flexibility."

Zoro watched. He had to admit the taller man was indeed the superior fighter. He easily dodged attacks and stretched and bent in ways that reminded him of the way Sanji moved at times. Although the cook's movements were twice as fast and his counters were powerful enough to be offensive maneuvers. Sanji was capable of breaking limbs with a block.

The fact that Sanji was going to watch him this closely, scrutinize every move he made as he fought Enel, keyed Zoro up unlike anything he had felt in a long time. There was nothing in the world Zoro felt more comfortable with than his sword fighting. He knew his form was practically flawless; knew his attacks were fluid and precise. Zoro knew Sanji got off on watching a good match. He knew it aroused and excited the blonde the same way it did for himself. In just a few minutes, Sanji was going to see him at his best, and Zoro's best was _fucking incredible_.

"Eh," Zoro grunted as he turned back to Sanji's hair. "Tall guy's alright, but I've seen a hell of a lot better."

Sanji turned away slightly but not before Zoro saw the grin the cook was trying to hide. Even though it was a trivial thing, the swordsman's heart soared. That smile made him feel invincible, capable of doing anything, defeating anyone. He hoped Sanji would be smiling like that after his match was over.

"I have to go," he said quietly. He put a hand on the small of Sanji's back. "There'll be two more fights before me. If anyone talks to you, just do what you've been doing, you'll be fine."

Sanji turned to face him. He had lost _that_ smile, but he had replaced it with a rogue's grin. He placed his cigarette between his lips and shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

"Kick some ass," he said simply.

Zoro grinned back as he turned and made his way toward the prep area. His blood pumped through his veins, hot like fire, and his chest filled with anticipation and an intense elation. Sanji was here with him, and even if their relationship wasn't exactly the way Zoro wanted, the cook was still there, and he was still supporting him.

Zoro couldn't lose.

X x X x X

Sanji's heart was still pounding, pulsing so loud he could hear it in his ears. Zoro's words spoken against his neck and breathed through his hair caused the barest tremors to cascade down the skin of his back. He sucked on his cigarette harshly before realizing the cherry was out and he was just sucking air though 

the filter. He tossed the butt on the already cigarette littered floor and crushed it underneath his foot out of habit.

He looked up just in time so see the tall man in the pit land a hit on the heavier fighter. His fist connected in the center of the shorter man's chest just beneath his ribcage. The bald man doubled over trying to regain his breath. His hand came up to signal his defeat, and the bell rang merrily.

"Cool," Luffy said crunching on a bit of candy. "You were totally right, Sanji."

Sanji nodded slowly, not caring about the fight anymore. His stomach was doing little rolls and he felt on the verge of nausea. He was at a loss about what to do or what to feel. He knew there was some kind of attraction between himself and Zoro, but he also knew the attraction could be just an intense form of admiration. Sanji felt excited when Zoro was close to him, he felt invigorated and almost high when the swordsman would touch him, but no matter how hard he tried, the thought of actually having sex with Zoro was unfeasible. He couldn't really be attracted to the other man if he couldn't stomach the idea of sex with him. Could he? It was all so confusing, and Sanji's head was beginning to ache from the stress of his worry.

"What are you thinking about, Sanji?" Luffy asked.

Sanji turned and rested his hip against the railing. He had forgotten Luffy was even there.

"I don't even know how to start," he said quietly.

The bell rang again, and two more fighters entered the pit. The announcer called the match but Sanji ignored the fight. He just looked at Luffy, wishing he knew what to say.

Luffy pulled the lollypop from his mouth and moved closer to Sanji's side. "Just start with anything, I don't care. It can even be the middle of a sentence. I'll ask questions until it makes sense."

Sanji chuckled and looked at the floor.

"For the first time in my life," Sanji said softly, "I'm not running after someone, they're running after me. I see everything I could ever want in this person. Love, respect, loyalty... a kick ass attitude…" the blond pulled another cigarette from his pack and placed it between his teeth. "But this perfect person is a man… he's a man… and I'm not…" Sanji pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to do…"

Luffy looked at him for a few seconds before he slipped the lollypop back in his mouth.

"It doesn't make you think any different knowing you've already been with him for a year?"

"No…" Sanji looked at the floor again. "I still can't… I don't like to think about that."

The bell rang again, signaling the second fight was already over. Sanji looked over his shoulder and saw two very bloody men limping towards the ladders. A knot of tension pulled tight in Sanji's gut. Zoro would be up soon.

"You know," Luffy said as he turned to face the pit. "It's funny…"

"What's funny?" Sanji asked.

"Well," Luffy bit off the rest of the lollypop and shoved the naked stick in his pocket. "When I first got here and I saw you two, you looked exactly like I remembered you guys. It was like you hadn't really forgotten, and everything was back to the way things were."

Sanji's heart started to flutter. "What do you mean?"

"He had his arm around you and you were looking at him like you used to. It was so normal for me I didn't realize how weird it actually was until I had already interrupted. I'm sorry about that by the way."

Sanji lit his cigarette for lack of anything better to do.

"It's alright, I'm glad you did. I don't know what I was doing."

Luffy looked at Sanji out the corner of his eye. "Sanji…"

The blond looked up slowly.

Luffy raised an eyebrow. "I think you know exactly what would have happened, even though you say you can't be with a guy. I don't get why you're so afraid. You're comfortable with him touching you, and obviously you're comfortable touching him…"

Sanji took a long drag and rubbed his eyes. His head was starting to spin.

"But I'm _not_ comfortable touching him like that," Sanji growled. "My body keeps doing things on its own. My hands… my hands are like magnets sometimes. I can't stop myself. I want to feel repulsed when he touches me… but I don't… it's so fucked up…"

Luffy frowned into the pit, not really watching the fighters. His jaw muscles flexed as he ground his teeth. Several minutes passed and Sanji stared at the ground, drifting as he listened to the roars and cheers surrounding him and his friend, but then Luffy's voice brought him back.

"That actually makes sense though," the dark-haired boy said.

Sanji looked at him bewildered. "How the fuck does that make sense?"

The younger man turned around and hoisted himself up on the railing. How he managed to balance himself with all the wiggling he did, Sanji would never know.

"It's true you don't remember Zoro," he said evenly. "But you only don't remember him in your head."

The cook blew out a long stream of smoke and stared at Luffy deadpan. "What?"

"You don't remember Zoro in your head, but your head isn't the only place you have memories. Your heart has memories too, they're a different kind, but they're still memories. It's just like how you can think with your head _and_ with your heart. It's a different kind of thinking, but it's still thinking. I think your head has forgotten Zoro but your heart hasn't. That's why you don't feel wrong when he touches you, because your body remembers… your _heart_ remembers."

Sanji stared at his younger friend speechless. It never ceased to amaze the cook when Luffy had his random spells of incredible insightfulness. They happened rarely, but when they did, they hit hard.

"I hate to admit it," Sanji muttered. "But that makes a crazy kind of sense, Luffy."

"Of course it does," Luffy smiled and clapped his feet together. "I'm the leading authority on this. I know in my head I'm kind of stupid, but when it comes to my heart, I'm a genius."

Sanji smiled a genuine smile that touched his eyes. He blew out smoke and turned back to the fight.

"You're definitely not stupid, Luffy."

X x X x X

Zoro leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. He floated softly in a world of blues and greens. He heard no sounds except the steady flow of water, and smelled no smells but the crisp clean air of a mountain mingling with pine and dirt.

Everyone teased Zoro constantly about falling asleep, 'conking out' in the middle of restaurants and movies. Zoro didn't bother to tell them he was actually meditating, for that might just earn him more teasing. So he took the repartee with a grunt and a crooked smile, letting people think he was lazier than he actually was. Ace's jabs were the worst, but Zoro let it go because he knew the older Portgus was hiding his own problems with a true case of narcolepsy. Ace would be discharged from the fire station if anyone knew of his condition, so almost out of an unconscious urge to protect his friend, Zoro let himself be the one known for his problem with nodding off at strange times.

Unfortunately, making people think you were always falling asleep instead of meditating meant everyone always tried to wake you up.

"Zoro!" A voice brought him off his peaceful mountain. "Hey, Zoro!"

The swordsman opened his eyes and turned a fierce glare in the direction of the intruder. He saw Paulie pushing through the crowd towards him, a strange fear in his eyes. He muttered apologies and 'excuse me's as he came closer. Zoro realized his death glare wasn't working and became concerned with the bookie's troubled expression. Something was wrong. Paulie looked almost frantic to get to him.

"Paulie," Zoro said. "What's the matter?"

The blond moved beside Zoro and brought his lips close to the swordsman's ear.

"I tried to stop him, Zoro. I told him the rules of the club but he wouldn't listen. He insisted on talking with you before the fight. I didn't know what to do and I can't find Lucci anywhere."

Zoro frowned. "Tried to stop who? What are you talking about?"

Paulie started to explain, but he was cut off by a deep voice that carried easily over the cheers and hollering that surrounded himself and the swordsman.

"He was trying to stop me."

Zoro looked over the bookie's shoulder to see a tall, pale man with dark eyebrows and a long thin nose. He wore black baggy pants, no shirt, and a black bandana covering his blond hair. His wrists and hands were wrapped in white boxers tape, but his knuckles were bare. Jagged scars decorated the light skin from the tops of his fingers all the way to his shoulders. This had to be Enel, the undefeated boxing champion and underground fighting king of California. No one had ever landed a hit on this man anywhere except his arms. He was rumored to be one of the most ruthless fighters alive and had a brain to match his skill.

"You must be Zoro Roronoa," Enel said with a faint smile. "I've heard so much about you."

Paulie waved his hands, looking slightly panicked. "Enel, sir, it's against the rules for fighters of different divisions to meet before the fight! If you would please--"

"It's okay, Paulie," Zoro put a hand on the blond's shoulder. "If Lucci gets mad, I'll take the blame."

Paulie sighed in defeat and backed away. "All right, whatever you say, Zoro. Do you want me to stay?"

Zoro shook his head. "We'll be fine, thanks."

Paulie disappeared into the crowd and Zoro's attention focused on the tall man in front of him. Enel stepped closer and loomed several inches above the swordsman's head. It didn't really bother Zoro, he had faced off against dozens of men that were almost twice his size, but the fact that Enel seemed completely at ease in Zoro's presence made the swordsman slightly wary.

After several long moments of staring at Zoro, Enel smiled.

"You're shorter than expected."

Zoro cocked an eyebrow and tiled his head to the side.

"Yeah, well you look like Eminem."

Enel threw back his head and guffawed at the ceiling. Several heads turned their direction and when people noticed who was speaking to Zoro, the area around the two fighters suddenly hushed.

Zoro sighed; he hadn't planned on making a spectacle of himself before the fight.

"So what's so important that you had to break the club rules and give our bookie a hernia?"

Enel crossed his scarred arms over his chest.

"Nothing really," his eyelids were heavy as if he was bored. "I just wanted to meet the legend before I defeated him."

Zoro snickered. "No one's defeating me tonight."

Enel nodded appraisingly. "We shall see…" Abruptly, the boxer's eyes flashed and he no longer seemed bored. "I hear that partner of yours is awake. Congratulations."

"Thanks…" Zoro said suspiciously.

"I know it's only been a few weeks, but is he well?"

"He's doing great," Zoro shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't decide if this guy was fishing for information, or if he was just asking to be polite.

"I hear Bones is trying to get a hold of him," Enel continued. "Some kind of blackmail thing going on. He really is that determined to take you out of this year's competition isn't he?"

"You seem to hear a lot of things," Zoro narrowed his eyes.

"The whole thing seems ridiculous to me," Enel rolled his eyes and tilted his head to the side. His bored expression had returned. "Why doesn't he just train hard and beat you like a normal person? This whole steal your lover to publicly humiliate yourself is so old-school. It's like a bad mafia movie."

Zoro nodded. He was still guarded, but hearing words that had passed his own lips coming from this man, settled his worries a little.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Bones is, do you?" Zoro asked hopefully.

Enel shook his head. "I'm sorry. If I knew I would certainly tell you. I think it's appalling what he's done, and he's giving the martial arts community a bad name by continuing. He's a coward."

A chorus of cheering echoed off the low ceiling as the fight in the pit came to an end. Zoro glanced that direction before he pushed off the wall and turned to directly face Enel.

"You seem like an okay guy," Zoro said. "And I appreciate your concern for my partner. I have a feeling this will be a good match."

He reached out his hand to Enel and the boxer took it.

"I believe it will also."

They shook quickly before Enel flashed Zoro another smile and disappeared through the crowd. Zoro stared after him, trying to decide if that encounter was more strange or enlightening.

X x X x X

The last two fighters left the ring and Sanji's heart crawled up into his throat. Why was he so nervous? He never got this nervous! Not even when it was his own fight! It wasn't like he needed to be nervous for Zoro, hell no. The guy could probably take care of himself. It just didn't make sense. Well, then again, nothing much made sense in Sanji's life at the moment…

"Sanji," Luffy tapped his arm. "Hey, Sanji, your fingers."

Sanji looked at the younger man confused and saw his dark-haired friend pointing to his hand. The blond looked and found his cigarette starting to burn the flesh of his pointer finger.

"Oh shit!" He threw the butt on the floor and crushed it out. He carefully blew on the reddening skin and made a soft whining noise.

"Hey, Sanji," Luffy chuckled. "Do you remember that time in high school when that teacher found you having sex with that girl in the broom closet?"

Sanji looked at his friend, confused as hell, but unable to stop himself from laughing softly at the memory.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, 'cause I remember seeing you sitting in the office waiting to find out if you were going to be expelled… You kinda look like that right now."

Sanji blinked. "I look like I'm going to be expelled?"

"Yeah," Luffy said. "Well, I mean you look like you're waiting for something bad to happen."

Sanji looked away and sputtered. "I'm not waiting for something bad to happen. I'm fine, I just… I was thinking about the fight and how this Enel guy's supposed to be really good and-"

"Don't worry about Zoro," Luffy patted Sanji's shoulder. "He's awesome."

The blond shoved his hands in his pockets and mumbled under his breath.

"I wasn't… worrying about him…"

The room erupted. Everyone around Sanji and Luffy started cheering or roaring at the top of their lungs. Sanji heard several excited screams from girls and the music from the speakers ceased. The cook turned around and gripped the metal railing tightly in his hands. He watched as a very tall, muscular man climbed down the ladder into the pit. His head was covered and he wore no shirt. His hands were wrapped and his arms were heavily scarred.

_Oh shit_, Sanji thought to himself. _Look at those scars. He moves so confidently… perfect balance, graceful movements… This guy is a pro._

Then the noise in the room became deafening. The screams from the girls increased ten-fold and Sanji had to cover his ears to drown out the ear-shattering cries from the spectators. Sanji's eyes moved to the other end of the pit searching for his green-haired friend. Suddenly the world dropped out from below. Sanji's heart refused to beat as the cook froze, trying to decide if he was dreaming.

Zoro stood a few feet from the ladder; his eyes were shadowed, giving him an almost demonic look as he calmly faced off with the boxing champion. The swordsman held all three swords unsheathed. Sanji felt that if he listened hard enough, he would be able to hear the weapons singing with their own excitement to begin the fight. Zoro had kept the haramaki around his waist but had taken off his shirt, letting his tan, scarred skin glisten with sweat under the room's glaring lights. Sanji's eyes couldn't look away from the long, gnarled scar across the swordsman's chest. It stood as a reminder that Zoro would fight like the Titans of old before he gave in. The scar in itself was frightening, even without the accompaniment of the raw power that radiated from Zoro's body.

Sanji's mouth went dry almost instantly. He found it hard to swallow as he watched Zoro step slowly and gracefully across the tiles. He licked his lips as he watched the swordsman place Wado's hilt between his teeth.

"Wow," A voice startled Sanji out of his gaping. "If I was gay, I would definitely hit that."

Sanji turned his head to see Jyabura followed by Kumadori and Kaku. The three pressed themselves against the railing, squishing Sanji in between Jyabura's left shoulder and Kaku's chest.

"Yeah, y'r right Jya. Zoro does have that kind of effect on folks." Kaku ruffled Luffy's hair as he leaned his head over Sanji's shoulder to get a better view. "Not that I ever had any of those kinda thoughts 'course."

Sanji turned back to the two fighters slowly moving closer to each other. Zoro seemed to be waiting for something. Biding his time as Enel bounced on the balls of his feet. The cook watched the easy way the boxer moved as he cracked his wrists and smirked at his sword-wielding opponent.

"I…" Sanji swallowed. "I really don't like this guy…"

"You're not worried are you, Sanji?" Kumadori put a hand on Sanji's shoulder. "Aww, you know Zoro's style of fighting better than anyone and you're still fretting over him getting hurt! You're so cute!" The large man made to pinch Sanji's cheek but Kaku batted his hand away.

_That's just it,_ Sanji thought. _I _don't_ know his style of fighting. I have no idea if he stands a chance against this guy_…

Below them, Enel moved; a quick lunge to ascertain Zoro's speed and reaction time. The boxer's hand aimed for the swordsman's upper arm. Zoro deflected Enel's jab with a quick swing. The blade moved up and around almost too fast for even Sanji's sharp eyes. The move was simple, but spoke volumes for the swordsman's skill. He really was good, the evade had been effortless. Enel backed away unharmed, but it had been close.

Enel was full on grinning now. His pearl white teeth flashed as he side-stepped back and forth, zigzagging to throw Zoro's eye and balance off. Sanji watched eagerly as Zoro did nothing but watch and follow the boxer's feet.

_Good, Zoro, really good_. Sanji chewed on his thumbnail. _Watch his feet_…

Enel moved in again, his speed was uncanny. His right fist pulled back, aiming for Zoro's side. Sanji saw the pull in the muscles of the boxer's back and gasped.

_Shoulders, Zoro! Shit shoulders! He's bluffing!_

Zoro brought a blade up to block the supposed strike and steadied himself for the impact. Sanji wanted to scream for Zoro to watch out as Enel started to change his attack to the other side. For one brief moment, the cook was positive he was going to watch Enel break several of Zoro's ribs.

But then Zoro's body twisted. He angled at the hips and bent backwards to move out of Enel's reach. Both of the swordsman's hands came up at the same moment, slicing the inside of the boxer's arms before Zoro pulled himself into a graceful back flip. He landed several feet away, not even slightly out of breath and smiling at his bleeding adversary.

"Holy shit!" Sanji cried before he could stop himself.

Kumadori laughed at his back. "Yeah, he's gotten better at that since you were here last. When did you teach him that? On our trip to Texas wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Luffy butted in. "I think it was. They were fighting and Sanji got so mad, he grabbed two knives off the table and scratched Zoro's arms. Zoro got all silly and asked if Sanji would teach him how to do it."

"Silly?" Kaku asked.

"You know," Luffy bounced on the railing. "That lovey dovey eye he gives Sanji when Sanji kicks his ass."

"Oh, right."

Sanji tuned them out. He was more interested in watching Zoro and Enel dance around each other. Blood flew from Enel's arms, splattering across Zoro's chest as the swordsman swung and lunged repeatedly. The two were very evenly matched. For every punch or kick Enel delivered, Zoro had an impressive block or counter attack to bring against him. In contrast, Zoro's fluid attacks were parried and countered easily by Enel's quick movements. It was one of the best fights Sanji had ever seen and the cook felt a delightful shiver run down his spine. His fingers began to tingle with excitement and his legs started to twitch with a 

need to move. The cook hoisted himself up on the railing, pulling his legs over and sitting on the cool metal. His feet rested on the lower bar and his legs bounced to compensate for the adrenaline coursing through his system. He raised his hands over his head and joined the mass of people cheering for the green-haired swordsman.

For the first time since his father died, Sanji felt truly _alive_.

X x X x X

Zoro couldn't be happier. He had seen Sanji sitting on the railing cheering for him out the corner of his eye. Did the cook know he used to always sit like that? Had Luffy told him? Or did he just do it? It was like the old Sanji was back, everything was perfect. The fight, the atmosphere, Sanji-- everything was clicking into place to make this one of the best nights of Zoro's life.

He ducked out of the way of another deadly punch and brought his swords up. The time for analyzing his opponent was over. He understood Enel's style enough to break his defense. It was time to stop playing around. It was time to fight for real.

X x X x X

Sanji hollered over the roar of other spectators. The swordsman had flipped a switch. The cook realized as Zoro started to pick up speed and his attacks became less defensive and more forward, that up until now, his friend had been messing around. He felt buzzed as he watched Zoro's true form unfold before his eyes. Zoro's hands moved so fast, the steel of the swords glinted like the sparkle of the sun as it reflected off the ocean's waves on a clear day. The swordsman's muscles rippled as he bent and twisted in ways Sanji knew so well. The cook felt pride and a fierce exhilaration knowing he had been the one to teach Zoro how to move his body like that.

Enel kept up with the fanatical speed, but Sanji could tell he was becoming fatigued. He was also becoming desperate. He was pulling out moves that were expending too much energy and not landing him any hits. Pretty soon the boxer was going to drop from exhaustion.

A lucky turn of events left Zoro's right wrist in Enel's grip. The boxer cried out in triumph and began to twist Zoro into a fall. The swordsman pushed on Enel with his free hand, driving the hilt of Shuusui into the meat of his foe's shoulder. It looked like the swordsman was about to go down, but a flick of Zoro's head, and Enel was stumbling backwards. Sandai Kitetsu flew from Zoro's right hand and clattered several feet away. The crowd's cheering died down as the two fighters stood still staring at each other.

Sanji leaned forward, not understanding what the sudden hush was about.

X x X x X

Zoro looked apologetically at the form of Kitetsu lying lonely on the floor. It had been a sacrifice, but well worth it. He took Wado from his mouth and grinned at Enel.

Enel lifted his hand to feel out the wound that Zoro had inflicted. The flesh of his neck, jaw and cheek had been graced with a shallow gash. The cut was clean, but it would leave a scar.

"You'll finally have a scar in a place that matters…" Zoro said. His voice echoed in the nearly silent room.

Enel gingerly touched the cut and smiled softly. "You're right…"

Moments that seemed like hours passed as Zoro and Enel stared across the fighting pit at one another. The tension in the room was so thick it almost had a taste. Everyone waited to see what these two famous fighters were going do. What was Enel going to do now that he had finally been marked with a losing strike.

Slowly, Enel lowered his eyes to the floor. He raised his hand and signaled his forfeit.

X x X x X

Sanji nearly jumped off the railing. The room went wild. Sanji felt claps on his back and cheers from Luffy behind him. He wanted to run to Zoro and congratulate him but he waited for Zoro to shake Enel's hand and retrieve Sandai Kitetsu from the floor. The cook felt someone tapping his back and he turned to have Zoro's sword sheaths and tank top thrust into his face.

"Kaku had them," Luffy explained as he deposited the items in Sanji's arms. "Go meet Zoro at the top of the ladder."

Sanji nodded and pushed through the crowd. He tingled with excitement as Zoro pulled himself up out of the pit and met his eyes. The people around them cheered but Sanji noticed they stayed a good four or five feet clear of the swordsman. Zoro smiled at the cook and took the tank top to clean Wado's blade. After replacing all three weapons back into their respective saya, he slid the swords back under his haramaki, and pulled Sanji against him.

The cook tensed as the swordsman's arms slid around his waist, but then Zoro mumbled into his neck.

"I know this is hard for you, but this is where I usually kiss you. May I do this instead? Just this… please?"

Sanji slowly relaxed and put his arms around Zoro's neck.

"Yeah," he whispered back. "Here, in this moment… it's all right…"

**TBC **


	12. Chapter 12

Woot! Finally finished with this chapter! Sorry it took so long! I kept adding things and adding things... Mostly dialog, but there are some juicy parts towards the end! xD Enjoy!

**Chapter 12**

Sanji tuned out the cheers that surrounded him and Zoro. He didn't care that the swordsman was getting blood on his clothes, or that Zoro's sweaty brow was messing up the side of his hair. He just liked the feel of the larger man against him, surrounding him, encasing him in warmth and protection.

The cook closed his eyes and leaned into Zoro's body. He felt the other man's heartbeat, strong and steady against his chest and he breathed in the sharp smell of Zoro's battle scent. The screaming and cheering had died down and the sound of people laughing and drinking around them faded away to dull murmurs. Despite being amongst hundreds of people, Sanji felt as if he was completely alone with the other man.

"Zoro," Sanji murmured into coarse, green hair. "You were amazing… The whole fight was amazing."

Zoro sighed deeply and nuzzled deeper into this neck. "Thank you. A lot of those moves were yours."

Sanji couldn't stop himself from grinning. "I noticed."

"I couldn't help showing off, I'm sorry."

Sanji was glad the swordsman couldn't see his face. The cook blushed as he thought about how all that power, all that amazing fighting skill had been put on display _for him_. Zoro had just won his match, flawlessly, beautifully, and he had been thinking of Sanji the whole time. The realization started a small flutter in the cook's chest and he trembled ever so slightly.

A shriek of feminine laughter erupted from behind Sanji, and before the cook could react, a clumsy, drunk body collided with his back. He let out a small 'oomf' as he crushed Zoro's body between himself and the railing.

Zoro had been floating in post fight euphoria, his heart singing with joy as he held Sanji against him. This night could not get any better, there was no way. It could only go downhill from here. Zoro basked, for the few moments he could, in the embrace of this person whom he hadn't been allowed to touch for so long. Something inevitably would go wrong

When Sanji's body was shoved against his, Zoro's head snapped up in surprise. He caught his breath as Sanji's hips unintentionally ground against his and the swordsman's knees almost buckled when he felt that tell tale press against his thigh.

Sanji had twisted his head to glare at the drunken girl, but when he turned his head back around to say something, his voice failed him. Zoro's lips were a hair's breath away from his own. The swordsman's eyes held such a ferocious intensity they rendered Sanji completely immobile. The two stared at each other for several seconds, each standing on their own precipice fighting themselves for what they thought they should or should not do.

"Sanji…" Zoro's voice was low and rough, breathless.

It took a moment for Sanji to reply. He wanted to kiss Zoro so badly, but if he did, he would be throwing himself into something he wasn't ready for.

"Y… yeah… Zoro?"

Zoro shuddered at the sound of Sanji's quiet smoker's rasp. He licked his lips and leaned forward to whisper into the other's ear. He didn't want to draw Sanji's attention to it if he hadn't noticed, and obviously he hadn't, but he knew he should say something before the cook discovered it himself and tried to kill him.

His lips were tickled by soft blond hair as he whispered. "You're hard…"

Sanji stopped breathing. Zoro was right. He had lost himself so far into the aftereffect of the fight and Zoro's scent that he hadn't noticed his cock was fully erect and _crushed against Zoro's thigh!_ He immediately tried to push off the other man, desperate for space. He longed with every part of his soul for a secluded room to crawl into a corner and die. He twisted and pushed with his arms, trying frantically to get out of Zoro's iron hold.

"Sanji…" Zoro said calmly, way too calmly for the situation. "Sanji hold still."

Mortified and close to tears, Sanji hissed through his teeth. "Let me go, Zoro! Let me go, _let me go! Please!_" He pushed with everything he had but Zoro's upper body strength was staggering. He couldn't get away.

"Sanji," Zoro said in that same calm tone. "Sanji please stop moving. Remember I told you people are watching us. If you run away from me now, I don't know what's gonna happen." When Sanji continued to struggle, Zoro pulled him flush against his body and growled in the blond's ear. "Sanji, stop fucking _moving_! What do you think you're doing to me rubbing against me like that?"

Sanji froze and squeezed his eyes shut. Humiliation and shame washed over him in a wave so strong, he felt he might pass out. He rested his forehead against Zoro's shoulder. "I'm sorry…" he murmured.

Zoro lessened his hold but kept his arms wrapped firmly around the cook. "It's all right… You have nothing to be sorry for."

Sanji shook his head slowly and made fists against Zoro's naked chest. "I have no idea what to think anymore, Zoro. I have no idea what I'm feeling! Your fight… watching you fight… It made me feel more like myself than anything in what seems like so long… And I don't get it 'cause it's you, and I don't even really know you all that well! But Luffy says I might know you, but not in my head and I just… I just…"

Zoro wove his fingers through the cook's golden locks and hushed Sanji's rambling with soft words and a tender caress over his back. The tension in Sanji's shoulders eased and he slowly lifted his head to push gently away from the swordsman.

Zoro smiled softly and straightened Sanji's collar. "Let's get my things and go home."

"Sure," Sanji readily agreed and they stepped away from the railing.

Zoro kept a firm grip on Sanji's hand as they moved through the crowd. Congratulations and words of praise assaulted the pair as they wove through the sea of people, but Zoro thanked and dismissed them quickly. He wasted no time in dressing and returning his weapons to their case. He took Sanji's hand again as they left the locker room to slip quickly up the stairs and towards the front door.

They were just to the threshold when a deep voice stopped Sanji in his tracks.

"Roronoa, aren't you forgetting something?"

The voice was like smoke. But not the bitter, tobacco flavored smoke that Sanji readily killed himself with every day. This smoke was black and thick. It slid over his skin like a soft caress. It filled Sanji's nose and ears, seemed to cloud his vision and crawl down into his lungs with every breath he took. If it was tangible it could have been poison chocolate. Every instinct Sanji had switched into defensive, screamed at him to throw his guard up.

Zoro tensed as well, Sanji could feel it in his hand. The swordsman turned around slowly, pulling the cook with him. The man standing before them was tall, dressed in a black suit and a white tie. His features were rough, but handsome. He had black hair that fell in tight ringlets to his shoulders. His eyes were dark, and his mouth was surrounded by a cleanly trimmed goatee.

"What's up, Lucci?" Zoro asked evenly. "What did I forget?"

Lucci stepped closer and Sanji fought a hard urge to back away. This man's presence crowded him, close to suffocated him, but Sanji composed himself and got a rein on his wayward emotions. He never backed down from anything. He stood by Zoro with his shoulders back and nonchalantly searched for a cigarette.

Lucci held out a small manila envelope to Zoro. "This evening's earnings," he said. A small smirk tugged at his lips. "You _almost _beat the club record." At this he turned to Sanji and smiled fully. "I'm glad to see you back, Sanji. Are you feeling well?"

Sanji let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. This man actually had a nice smile.

"Yeah," he said, returning the gesture as he lit his cigarette. "Feeling all right. I just get tired quick."

"Well." Lucci straightened his suit jacket and smoothed his tie. "Then rest well, and I will see you two back here on Monday?"

Zoro nodded and turned to pull Sanji towards the parking lot, but stopped when a ball of flailing arms and black hair attacked their captain.

"Lucciiiiiiiiii!" The rubbery mass of boy cried. "Let's fight! Come on, we have an hour before closing!"

Lucci folded his arms over his chest as Luffy clung to him like a monkey. He rolled his eyes and waved to Sanji as the blond chuckled and exited the building.

"Wow," Sanji muttered as Zoro and he made their way through rows of cars. "Luffy's got balls man, I would never challenge that guy. He's scary as fuck."

Zoro laughed and said over his shoulder, "Well, you know Luffy. I personally think Lucci refuses the challenge 'cause he's worried Luffy will actually beat him."

"Yeah." Sanji puffed on his smoke. "Could be…"

He let Zoro lead him towards the motorcycle, never pointing out the fact that the swordsman was still holding his hand. It didn't matter, because right then, Sanji didn't really mind.

X x X x X

Zoro was silent as the two made their way through the lobby and into the elevator. Sanji leaned against the rail and slipped his hands into his pockets watching the swordsman contemplate his boots.

"You must be exhausted," Sanji said. "You can have the bed tonight if you want."

Zoro turned to him then and smiled softly. "I'm actually so far from tired it's not even funny. I could run a marathon right now."

Sanji checked his watch. "Your fight was like an hour and a half ago! Adrenaline's gotta be out of your system."

Zoro shrugged as the elevator stopped and the door opened with a soft ding. The swordsman shifted the case on his shoulder and stepped over the threshold.

"Anticipation for a drink I guess."

Sanji followed and stood leaning against the wall as Zoro unlocked the door to their apartment. "A drink? At four thirty in the morning?"

"May be morning, but I'm gonna sleep all day. I don't work until five. So it's kind of like nighttime… sort of." Zoro carefully set the sword case down and tossed his jacket on the back of the couch. He headed towards the bedroom. "I'll be up for a while so you can have the bed."

Sanji thought about trying to sleep as keyed up as he was at the moment and cringed inwardly. He followed Zoro down the hall and pulled out his cigarettes.

"Don't worry about it," he muttered as he tossed the pack from hand to hand. "I'm not ready to go to bed either."

Zoro looked up from pulling a t-shirt from the dresser. "You wanna have a drink with me then? And by 'a drink' I mean _a drink_ 'cause you can't hold your liquor for shit."

Sanji sputtered as he kicked his flip flops into the closet. "I can hold my liquor just fine, asshole. I just… choose not to drown myself if I'm with other people. It's… undignified and… unprofessional."

Zoro smirked and pushed passed him. "Well, you don't have to worry about being professional around me. I've seen you toasted plenty of times." He waved a hand over his shoulder as he made his way down the hall. "Change your clothes, I'm gonna take a shower."

Sanji watched the other man saunter into the kitchen with his clean clothes draped over his shoulder. _Hmm… bossy much? _He thought to himself as he stepped into the bedroom to find more comfortable clothes. Not that it was bad, Zoro was kind of cute bossy.

Sanji paused as he reached for the dresser drawer. _Cute?_ Had he just… Sanji stepped forward and rested his hands on the dark wood. He really should stop fighting himself like this. He found Zoro attractive, that fact was so obvious he probably should be slapped in the face. He had also discovered this evening during the fight that the swordsman turned him on. Maybe not the physical Zoro, but definitely the _aura_of Zoro. The power and energy that came off him as he fought, the way he calculated his attacks, the confident smile that lit up his face when he knew he had won…

Oh yeah… that smile…

Sanji sighed and opened the drawers. He pulled out grey sweat pants and a deep blue t-shirt. As he dressed he thought about what he was going to do. Should he tell Zoro how he was feeling? Tell the swordsman how much he affected him? No… not yet. Sanji was sure he had feelings for Zoro, but that did not mean he was ready for the physical aspects of a relationship with a man. If he were to tell Zoro about his thoughts, his inner turmoil, it would get the swordsman's hopes up. It would be too cruel to string him along and then find later that he couldn't handle the sex. The man had been through enough. It would be like losing Sanji twice; Zoro would be crushed.

Turning off the light, Sanji made his way slowly down the hall towards the living room. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice what was sitting on the coffee table until he had sat down on the couch and leaned back to light up. Smiling to himself, Sanji eyed the items and lit his cigarette.

Before him sat a large wine decanter, glass, classic duck shape, and fitted into a stainless steel stand. It was filled with a red wine, and looked absolutely beautiful. Next to it sat a bottle, nearly empty, a crystal wine glass, and a small red box. Sanji opened the lid of the box first, finding an assortment of chocolates. He grinned as he removed his smoke and moved to inspect the bottle. St. Michelle, Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard, 2002. Merlot. Sanji had heard of this wine, but had never had the money to get it for himself. He leaned over the decanter excitedly and breathed in the exquisite aroma. It was a mixture of raspberry and blueberry, and Sanji's mouth watered in anticipation.

The cook plucked a chocolate from the box and lifted it to his lips as he leaned back and propped his feet on the coffee table. Zoro had known to put the wine in a decanter. He had known Sanji would want it to breathe, letting the aromas release and therefore adding to the taste. That was impressive even though there was no doubt he had taught the swordsman to do it. The chocolates were an extra bonus and Sanji felt very pampered and spoiled as he relaxed against the soft cushions.

Zoro wasn't a bad guy at all… and if he treated Sanji like this regularly…

"That good enough for your highness?" Zoro's voice teased from behind the couch.

Sanji twisted around to watch the swordsman slide over the back of the couch and land beside him. He placed two full bottles of Jagermeister on the table and leaned back with a half full bottle of Southern Comfort.

Sanji eyed the liquor and made a face. "You are _not _going to drink all that."

Zoro grinned and tipped the bottle back. To Sanji amazement, he easily downed half the contents in three quick swallows. "Yes, I am."

Sanji sat up and waved his cigarette at the swordsman. "Okay, I'm not going to say anything about your appalling taste in liquor, but I will say, aren't you mixing? Isn't this going to like, _kill_ you? Or at least give you the worst hangover in history tomorrow?"

Zoro just shook his head. "I never get hangovers. And this is whisky!" He held up the bottle. "You can drink anything with whisky!"

Sanji just smiled and shook his head. He reached out to the decanter and poured a glass of the merlot. He lifted it to his lips and breathed in the aroma again before closing his eyes and taking a small sip. He rolled the velvety texture over his tongue, savoring the mix of flavors. Raspberry, plum, cherry, and a hint of vanilla. Not too tannic and very smooth. He sipped again before plucking another chocolate from the box and leaning back onto the cushions.

Zoro watched as Sanji got reacquainted with his favorite wine. The way the blond's tongue touched the edge of the glass before the liquid slipped into his mouth awoke a pleasant feeling inside the swordsman. He had asked Sanji to have a drink with him, but had forgotten how sexy Sanji could be when he let his guard down. Now Zoro was almost regretting his request because keeping his hands to himself was going to be quite a trial. As the cook bit into a chocolate, Zoro had to look away. He downed the rest of the Southern Comfort and traded it for a full bottle of Jagermeister.

"Jesus Christ!" Sanji breathed as he watched Zoro down a swallow of the new bottle. "Where the fuck did you learn to drink like that!"

Zoro laughed. "Kuina… Same girl I was talking about earlier. She could drink all night and halfway through the next day. Nothing fazed her."

Sanji stared down into his glass thoughtfully. He swirled the liquid and watched it cling to the glass for almost a second before slipping to join the collective at the bottom. He had many questions to ask, but he wasn't going to be able to ask them until he got more alcohol in his system. He raised and downed the contents of the glass, immediately refilling it again and taking another long swallow. When he looked up, Zoro was eyeing him strangely.

_Fuck, just do it…_

"You two were… really close huh?" Sanji said quietly.

Zoro blinked for a moment as if he didn't understand the question. But then he nodded and took another long swallow of the Jager.

"We trained together at the dojo. She was in a class ahead of me, and she was… well, for a while she was my goal. I wanted to beat her because in my young, simple mind she was the best. If I beat her… then I was the best."

Sanji turned away and nodded. "You never beat her though, did you?"

"Nope." Sanji heard the swish of the bottle.

Swallowing another half a glass, Sanji pressed on. "Where do you think she'd be now if she had lived? If you had beat her?" _When you had beaten her…_

He heard Zoro shrug. "Probably married to me, and we'd have a bunch of terrorist kids with green hair."

Sanji frowned and turned back to his friend. The swordsman's cheeks were beginning to pink, and his eyelids were getting slightly droopy.

"But… isn't that… aren't you…"

"Gay?" Zoro finished for him. "You don't like that word do you?"

Sanji sighed and finished off his glass. He quickly poured more and turned to face Zoro, folding his legs underneath him.

"No, I don't dislike the word, and yes. Aren't you gay? How can you say you'd be married to her when…?" Sanji sighed as words failed him and he settled for taking another gulp of wine. His head was starting to feel thick and he was worried he was going to blurt out too much at one time.

Zoro looked carefully at Sanji, trying to decide if this was it. If this was where they were finally going to talk about everything. Was he ready for this? Was this where Sanji put up the final barriers and cut off every measure of hope Zoro still held on to?

Letting out a long breath, Zoro looked straight at Sanji. "You're the only guy I've ever slept with."

Sanji blinked. "Really?"

Zoro nodded. "It was all girls up to you."

Sanji squeezed his eyes shut and tried to sort out everything running through his mind.

"So… okay… you're saying we were both straight until we met each other?"

"Yeah, and I pretty much only like you. I mean as far as guys go."

"So wait..." Sanji paused to finish off his third glass. "You're saying that you went gay for me, but only me… Does… does that even qualify as gay? When you only like one guy?"

Zoro laughed as he tipped the bottle back and managed to dribble on his chin. He wiped it away with his palm and grinned at Sanji. His head was filled with cotton and his thoughts were disjointed and light. "I'm pretty sure that sleeping with another dude puts you into the 'not straight' category."

Pouring another glass, Sanji almost giggled. The room was swaying slightly and he felt his conversation coming a lot easier. _Damn, I really can't hold my liquor for shit!_

"But you like girls still?"

"Not really… but I could still sleep with one if she was hot enough."

"So you're bi."

Zoro shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Okay, we're bi."

"_You're _bi," Sanji pointed at Zoro wobbly.

"Right, I'm bi. You're gay."

Sanji started laughing. He couldn't help it, the alcohol was hitting him hard and the conversation was getting ridiculous. He tried to muster up some pretension of clarity so he could continue with his line of questioning.

Zoro finished off the first bottle of Jager and reached for the second. He knew getting this drunk was a bad idea, but if Sanji wanted to ask the things Zoro knew he wanted to ask, he couldn't answer him sober.

"So…" Sanji started. "We met at D's dojo… and we tried to kill each other… When did we become friends?"

Zoro leaned his head back and sighed deeply. "We were never friends."

"Huh?" Sanji asked stupidly.

"We were never friends," Zoro repeated. "We hated each other the moment we laid eyes on each other… in the beginning."

Sanji made a face and in doing so, caused wine to run out the side of his mouth. "Excuse me?"

Zoro sighed; this whole thing was so hard to explain. Their relationship had never been simple, and Zoro wasn't big on long speeches or tactful explanation. He slouched further down the couch and let the bottle rest on his chest. He let his gaze go unfocused as he remembered back two years ago when his life changed forever.

"We…" he started slowly. "We fought about everything. We were always challenging each other, about the most random, stupid shit. We'd call each other names and try to trip each other up all the time. Well, not literally, more like… well, yeah literally. You'd actually try and trip me for real all the time."

Sanji chuckled into his glass.

"We never agreed on anything… We didn't _want _to agree on anything. At first I made a conscious effort sometimes to take an opposite side on stuff just to piss you off… I'm sure you did it too. We just… I don't know. Just fucking hated each other… and I don't even know why really."

Zoro frowned as he tried to explain things he still didn't understand. He shifted on the couch; a thick buzz hummed through his body, but didn't affect his speech or slow his thinking. "But then there were our real fights…"

"Real fights?" Sanji asked.

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, our sparring. It was incredible. I would want to kill you for real all day, but then I'd go to the dojo to blow off some steam and if you were there… I'd get all excited. I knew I could fight you, really train with you, like no one else since Kuina. We'd be at each other's throats every second we were together… but then the instant we hit the mats… we were on the same wavelength… we were thinking and feeling the same thing. It was the closest kind of bond I'd had in a really fucking long time, and it was so weird 'cause for a while I really couldn't stand you…"

Sanji understood exactly what Zoro was saying, but he didn't comment. He sat quietly listening as the swordsman tapped a finger quietly on his bottle. He floated gently in the wine-induced haze, choking words back, but knowing he wouldn't be able to keep them in much longer. He wanted to know so badly.

Zoro felt the tension that had riddled Sanji's body since their bush together at the club finally ease. The cook curled up on the couch, his feet inches from Zoro's thigh, his breathing soft and shallow. When the question finally passed over Sanji's lips, Zoro didn't waver. He had readied himself.

"Zoro…" Sanji murmured as he studied something deep in his wine glass. "How'd it change? What… happened that… how did I…"

Zoro saw the cook's hands starting to shake and he sat up. He took one last long swallow from his bottle before placing it on the coffee table. He then took the glass from Sanji and set it next to the decanter. Pulling one leg underneath him, he turned to face the blond directly. He leaned in close and said softly, like they needed to be quiet or someone would overhear.

"You gonna be okay if I tell you?"

Sanji covered his eyes with his hands and nodded slowly.

"I just want… to understand…"

Zoro folded his arms over his chest to keep himself from reaching out to comfort the other man. "Do you want me to glaze over the details? Or do you want to whole story?"

"Just…" Sanji lowered his hands and looked at Zoro directly. His eyes blazed crystal blue, determined. "Just tell me everything. I need to hear it. I'm tired of running from all this…"

Zoro nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

"I…" Zoro began softly. "I only hated you in the very beginning. As we spent more time together at the dojo or just hanging out at Ace's… I started to notice little things about you that were so like me it was… scary. I started to see someone I could relate to on a level I couldn't have ever dreamed of or hoped for. I started to want…" Zoro clenched his jaw and looked away from Sanji. "I started to think about you more and more, away from the dojo, away from movie nights and barbeques… I wanted to be better friends, but we still managed to fight about anything and everything when we were together and I started to get really frustrated. I didn't understand what I was feeling and I could never keep my head around you long enough to talk to you about it."

Sanji lowered his head. "Not that I would have listened probably…"

Zoro nodded slowly. "Yeah… but anyway, getting back on track. There was this girl named Conis. She was beautiful, blond, sweet, her dad was the head of some pharmaceutical company. She was a lot like Kaya, only a little more shy. She was studying to be some kind of… cloud watcher or something… one of those weather people."

"Meteorologist?" Sanji quirked an eyebrow.

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, something like that. Anyway, you were seeing her, and she was starting to get that look in her eye. That whole I-need-stability-so-ask-me-to-marry-you-or-else kind of a thing."

"Oh yeah?" Sanji made a face.

"Yeah. So you backed out, and broke it off. You were nice about it, but never really gave her a real explanation why. Later at some party or some fucking function thing that Kaya was hosting, Conis was talking to people and Luffy, in all of his _infinite_ wisdom, blurted out that it didn't work between her and you because no one would ever be more important to you than your 'best friend'."

Sanji shook his head. "Huh?"

"That's what I said, and Conis asked what he meant and Luffy was all 'Zoro of course'. I nearly dropped my glass in my… haste to leave. I was really… I don't know, embarrassed or something and didn't want to be around when that got back to you, so I slipped out and went to Ace's."

"I must have flipped a fucking lid," Sanji muttered.

"Yeah, you did. You figured out where I'd gone, and showed up at Ace's about an hour later. You were… so scary…"

"I was?" Sanji smirked.

"Yeah." Zoro ran a hand through his hair. "I expected you to come through the door kicking and screaming… trying to kill me… but you were so quiet. You just stood there with your hands in your pockets. I've only been scared like that one other time… You said I'd been doing and saying shit behind your back, trying to make people think you were gay. You painted a very… colorful picture for what you wanted to do to me."

Sanji lost his smile, thinking of how his mouth could get when he was really pissed.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered.

Zoro shook his head. "Don't be. I said some pretty shitty things right back. I'm glad you can't remember 'em."

Sanji laughed and the room spun. He steadied himself on the back of the couch and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"So then what?"

"Well..." Zoro scratched his jaw. "After that, you avoided me like the plague and I backed off because I didn't want to make you angrier. We stayed away from each other. We would make sure the other wasn't at a party or at someone's house before going over. We changed our schedules at the dojo so we never had to see each other. It was nuts." Zoro's gaze changed suddenly and one of his arms went to the back of the couch. He took a deep breath and looked down at his hand playing with a string on his pants. "I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about what you were going through, you never really gave me any details because you said you didn't really get it. But I can tell you what happened to me- what I was feeling..."

Sanji leaned in and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Okay."

Zoro looked up at him and held his gaze for several long seconds. Finally, he spoke. "That two, three weeks where we didn't see each other… I started to get… antsy. I missed our sparring matches… I missed you. I started going to the dojo at weird times so I might 'accidently' run into you and you'd be so mad, that we could fight. But you were just… nowhere." Zoro's eyes dropped again and he watched his hand fidgeting with the string. "I started to think about you all the time. When I was teaching class, when I was training, in the evening just lying around… I couldn't concentrate or meditate 'cause I couldn't get you out of my head and I started to get _so angry_. I was already so pissed because of the misunderstanding, but then I got even more pissed cause I couldn't see you, and everything was so fucked up I started to wonder if I was going crazy."

Sanji listened quietly, entranced. Wondering if he had been feeling the same way, wondering if he had stayed up late at night missing the swordsman… thinking about him during work… being unable to concentrate…

He sure as hell knew what that felt like now.

"I ended up staying at the dojo one night after my class and beating the shit out of a few of the practice dummies. I had seriously reached the end of my… whatever you wanna call it- patience, rope… sanity… I wanted to kill something but at the same time I just wanted to see you so bad… and then… you just showed up." Zoro paused for a moment. He let his thoughts wander, back to the night at the dojo… of Sanji standing in the doorway.

_Sanji held a cigarette lazily between his lips. One blue eye glared at him between a curtain of golden hair. His posture was relaxed, bored even, but the swordsman knew better than to let his guard down._

"You saw me and just stood in the doorway forever. You told me later you were thinking if you killed me, how you'd get rid of the evidence and if you'd ever be able to look Chopper in the face again."

Despite the intensity of the moment, Sanji had to laugh. Zoro couldn't help but chuckle along with him. The mood lifted slightly and Zoro continued the story with his head a little higher.

_Sanji shrugged out of his jacket. He pulled at his tie, roughly jerking the fabric from around his neck before tossing it aside. He kicked his shoes off and growled deep in his throat._

_"Get a sword."_

_"What?" Zoro asked lamely, his throat dry._

_"I said you better get a fucking sword, asshole. I'm gonna kill you."_

"You took off your shoes and your jacket and told me to get a sword, we were fighting for real. I had been waiting and wanting it for so long I almost tripped over myself to grab Wado from her case."

"You fought me with Wado?" Sanji asked, amazed.

Zoro nodded. "Of course… Anyway, we fought for a little while, and your attacks were so vicious I was pretty sure you really were out for blood. I just tried to defend myself, while you pulled out moves I'd never seen before and haven't again to this day."

_Sanji's back bowed and his legs spun over his head. His speed was uncanny, and he seemed to be incapable of tiring. Zoro could only watch in amazement and defend against the onslaught of attacks. He watched Sanji's eyes as they blazed in the dim lights of the training room. The cook was furious. He wasn't holding anything back._

"Then… it got weird."

Sanji's stomach knotted. "Weird?"

"Yeah, you suddenly used your hands."

"What!" Sanji's mouth fell open.

"That's why I didn't know what to do. In all the time I had known you, I had never once seen you use your hands- your fists. I never saw it coming. You clipped me so hard in the jaw I fell backwards, right on my ass."

Sanji unconsciously looked down at his right hand, obviously not seeing any damage, but studying the knuckles before turning his gaze back to Zoro. The swordsman had slouched again and had shut his eyes, folding his arms tightly over his chest again.

"So…" Sanji pressed gently. "What did you do then?"

Zoro let out a shaky breath and Sanji wasn't sure if it was a sigh or a laugh.

_Zoro held his jaw as the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. What the fuck just happened? He'd used his hands! When the fuck had he started to use his hands!_

_Sanji turned away from him and started to pace. Zoro heard the blond muttering under his breath as he stalked in front of the swordsman like some caged feline. The cook's gaze was hostile whenever his icy blue eyes locked with his own. It took several minutes for Zoro to make out what Sanji was saying under his breath._

_"Fucking hate you, you son of a bitch… Fuck you and your damn face, and your damn smile…"_

_Zoro stared up at the other man almost in a daze. What was he talking about? What the hell was going on?_

_Suddenly Sanji stopped. He turned to look at Zoro and plucked his spent cigarette from his lips. A moment of harsh silence passed and Zoro could hear his own heart beat. His pulse had risen under the intense stare from the cook and he couldn't understand why._

_Moving slowly, deliberately, Sanji stepped closer to Zoro and placed a foot on both sides of the other man's hips. He lowered himself to his knees, effectively straddling the stunned swordsman. The cook grabbed Zoro's shirt collar in a death grip and snarled into his face._

_"Why the fuck are you doing this to me?"_

"I didn't do anything. I just…" Zoro's eyelids shut tighter. "I just sat there stupid while you stood there almost breathing fire for a long time… Then… then you sort of just… crawled on top of me…"

Sanji's heart stopped. His entire thought process shut down momentarily as he tried to understand the implications of what Zoro was telling him.

"E-excuse me?" He almost choked.

_Zoro's heart pounded against his ribcage. The contact of the cook's hips against his own was like fire. Heat coiled in his belly and tremors shot up and down his spine. His breath quickened and he instinctively reached out and took the cook's hips in his hands. Sanji reacted instantly, pulling Zoro's lips against his own, his tongue pushed past the swordsman's lips, pressing deep inside._

_Zoro's heart leapt into his throat as he kissed back. He felt Sanji's erection rub against his stomach and moaned at the surprising sensation. Thoughts and fears flashed through the swordsman's head as he pulled the blond tightly against him. Sanji released his collar and dragged fingers roughly through his green hair. He used his powerful hips and thighs to push Zoro onto his back. The swordsman heard cloth ripping and realized too late that his ruined shirt was being pulled from his body._

_When the cook's mouth left his to bite and suck at his neck, Zoro finally found his voice._

_"Woa, wait…" he gasped. "Hey, stupid cook… what is this?"_

_"God damnit, fucking marimo." Sanji growled. "Stop talking to me and take my clothes off."_

Zoro shook his head, trying to stop the images from flooding his memory. "Um… You climbed into my lap and… kissed me."

Sanji stared at the other man in horror. He had been hoping that maybe he had heard Zoro wrong, but now he couldn't deny it.

"Are you saying…" he started, but a wave of dizziness washed over him. He took a moment to close his eyes and collect himself before continuing. "Are you trying to tell me that I made the first move? That I _initiated this_?"

Zoro felt his heart drop into his gut.

"Yes… that's what I'm telling you…"

Sanji turned his body to rest his feet on the floor. He put his hands on his knees and gripped the fabric of his sweatpants so hard his knuckles turned white. Everything he had been agonizing over the last week was suddenly turned upside-down. His world tilted and he found himself lost. No ground on which to stand on, no idea what to think or feel at all.

"Sanji?" Zoro asked quietly. "Sanji… you said you'd be okay if I told you… Where are you right now?"

Sanji ran a hand over his eyes and grabbed his pack of cigarettes from the coffee table. He lit up with as much grace as he could and folded his hands below his chin to keep them from shaking.

"I just…" he whispered, "never thought that I would… be the one that…"

_Zoro fumbled with Sanji's belt and slid his hands into the cook's slacks. The blond hissed as Zoro's fingers wrapped around his hard flesh. The swordsman took Sanji's momentary lapse of coherency as a chance to flip them over. He pressed himself down on the other man, grinding his hips against Sanji's, and biting fiercely into the pale skin of his neck._

_Sanji cried out below him and started to buck his hips._

_"Take them off," he commanded. "Take them off, Zoro…"_

_Zoro obeyed without hesitation and jerked the cook's pants down his hips. He pulled off Sanji's boxers and socks along with them, leaving the blond completely nude beneath him. The swordsman was rendered immobile as he took in the sight. He had never seen anything so sexy in his entire life._

Zoro shifted on the couch and brought his feet to the floor also. He rested his elbows on his knees and placed his chin in his hands. He was starting to get hard as his memories flashed before him clear as day. If Sanji noticed it would be the end of their conversation. He tried to calm himself, taking slow shallow breaths, but the images kept coming.

"Did we…" Sanji ran a hand through his hair. "Did we just go at it right there? Or what?"

_As he stared down at Sanji's gorgeous body, a pair of long pale legs wrapped around his waist and threw him to the side. Zoro landed hard on his back, but ignored the pain as Sanji leaned down and kissed his lips._

_"This is how we're gonna do this," Sanji breathed against his skin. "You can top, but I call the shots. I lead this, you got it?"_

_The swordsman could only nod._

Zoro threaded his fingers together and hid his mouth behind his hands.

"Yeah, we did."

When Zoro heard no response, he stole a glance at the cook. Sanji was staring at the floor deep in thought, a look defeat painted across his features. The swordsman's chest tightened and he had to look away. He had known this was probably a bad idea, but had wanted to talk to Sanji about it so badly. He had wanted to help the cook understand; help him to realize there was nothing wrong with what the two of them had.

Finally, Sanji leaned back against the cushions and took a long drag. Exhaling slowly, he opened his mouth to ask his final question. The heart of all his worries, the thing he had feared and loathed and wondered about almost every minute the past week.

"I was… the girl… wasn't I?" He asked softly.

Zoro turned to look at him. "What?"

Sanji glared at his cigarette. "You heard me."

Zoro stared at the blond, slowly beginning to understand the cook's hesitation. His fears and doubts were all centered around a concept that was neither important or even realistic. He was still thinking of the inner workings of a gay relationship like a straight man. His worries were unfounded, based off speculations and stories he probably had picked up while living with his father and working with retired military men. The heart of Sanji's problem was something so irrelevant.

_Zoro held Sanji's hips and ran comforting circles into the pale skin with his thumbs. He gazed up at the other's face as it hovered inches from his own. Sanji's eyes were closed and his jaw was clenched in concentration as he took small shaky breaths._

_"You okay?" Zoro whispered._

_Sanji's arms were trembling as he showed his teeth in a small snarl. "Shut up, I'm fine. I'm just trying to… adjust."_

_Zoro didn't miss the pain that was hidden below Sanji's tough and stubborn exterior. He removed a hand from the cook's hip and place in gently against Sanji's cheek._

_"It's all right, Sanji," Zoro whispered. "You're strong… It's all right…"_

_Sanji's eyes opened and Zoro was startled to see them shining with unshed tears._

_"You…" Sanji murmured. "You called me Sanji… That's the first time I've ever heard you use my name…"_

_Zoro could feel himself blushing. "Yeah… I'm gonna call you that from now on… Is that okay?"_

_Sanji nodded, started to move, and Zoro was lost._

Zoro wanted to laugh, but at the same time he wanted to cry. The problem was so simple, and yet in its simplicity, it probably meant that Sanji was never going to be okay with a physical _anything_with him ever again. Zoro's heart started to break anew, but he made one last attempt to bring Sanji around.

"There was no girl or guy in our relationship, Sanji." Zoro started, resting his forehead in his hands. "Sure I 'topped' most of the time, but that's not what it's about. Haven't you ever been with a girl that took the lead? Just because you're a 'bottom' doesn't mean…" Zoro sighed. He wasn't explaining this very well. He rubbed his eyes as he suddenly felt very exhausted. "It didn't matter who was the 'guy' or the 'girl'. There was no such thing. None of that mattered."

He turned to Sanji then and tried to keep all traces of anguish and pleading from his face as he press on.

"What did matter was that we cared about each other… That's it…"

Sanji's entire body showed no emotion. His face was blank, his posture indifferent as he took a final drag from his cigarette. He sat up and placed the bud in the ashtray. He didn't look at Zoro as brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs.

"That's it…" He echoed. "Simplified… we formed a bond in our mutual dislike and it evolved into something deeper through our equal passion for martial arts... kind of."

Zoro nodded. "You could say that."

Sanji finally looked at him, his eyes holding something Zoro couldn't read.

"But it can't be like that again can it?"

Zoro had believed there was no feeling in the world, worse than the one he had felt when he thought Sanji was dead. Now he knew he'd been gravely mistaken. _Knowing_ that Sanji - his Sanji - was dead and gone forever made the swordsman feel like he was dying inside. A sharp physical pain tore through his chest and he turned away so Sanji couldn't see the look on his face. He clenched his jaw to fight the tears that threatened to come, and he slowly leaned back against the cushions.

"Uh…" He choked out. "No… I guess not."

Silence stretched for long minutes before Sanji whispered softly.

"Thank you, Zoro… for explaining it all to me… I appreciate it."

Zoro sunk down and rested his head against the arm rest. He curled in on himself and tried to fight the nausea that cramped his stomach.

"You're welcome…"

Sanji sat in silence for a long time. He thought about everything Zoro had said and listened to the swordsman's breathing until he was sure the man had fallen asleep. His thoughts were clearer now, the heavy buzz had left him, and Zoro's explanation had given him things to guide him in making a decision.

He cared about Zoro, he had already come to terms with that. Zoro obviously cared about him too, judging from the way he talked about their past together, and by the sad look in his eyes as he spoke.

No girl in the relationship… none of that 'top and bottom' stuff was relevant… Zoro didn't think any less of him… his friends didn't think any less of him… They were even happy for him… Zoro made him feel alive and safe… wanted…

_Oh just stop. Fucking let it happen you fucking pansy…_

Sanji turned to look at Zoro curled at the other end of the couch. His face was troubled, even in sleep. Sanji felt guilty when he studied the hard lines in the other man's brow, and moved closer to run a hand through the other man's hair.

Tomorrow he would make everything up to Zoro. He would take his first step in resurrecting what he had shared with the green-haired swordsman. Zoro would help him, he was sure of that. As rough and unrefined as Zoro seemed, Sanji knew he was capable of an unmeasured gentleness. There was a caring and compassion wrapped in that outer exterior that knew no bounds.

_How_ Sanji knew these things, he wasn't sure. But he had a feeling so strong inside of him, he had no choice but to believe it.

Slowly, the cook stood and stretched out Zoro's legs, getting him in a more comfortable position. He then moved to stretch out beside the swordsman, his face resting inches from Zoro's and his leg draped over the other man's. He tentatively reached out and placed his scarred hand over Zoro's calloused one, lacing their finger together.

The lines in Zoro's brow disappeared and Sanji watched his handsome face relax with his touch. Sanji smiled softly and leaned his head in to brush his lips over Zoro's.

Tomorrow, he thought as rested his head and closed his eyes. Tomorrow he would fix what Zoro thought would never be replaced.

**TBC**

**Note: You can read what happened that night at the dojo in full in "Recollections Series: Story Five". Just look for it in my story list.  
**


	13. Chapter 13

This chapter is a little shorter than the previous few. Mainly because I'm going to be too tired this weekend to write anything else, and also… well because I wanted to post more of the story. If you think Chopper is OOC in this chapter, I really don't care. I need him this way for the fic, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep all OOC!Chopper comments to yourself. Thanks xD

Hope you guys like! And a big thank you to mysocalledhell for beta! xDDD

**Chapter 13 **

_Zoro knew he was dreaming. He was floating… no… he was… rocking? The sun shone warm on his skin. He heard the sound of water; of waves hitting a dock or maybe the side of a boat… That's it! He was on a boat! The rocking was the ship swaying along with the pull of the tide. Gently lulling him, comforting him in a soothing dance of the ocean's current. _

_The sea reminded him of Sanji… The salty air and the clear blue of the water… It reminded him of the taste of Sanji's skin, the blue of Sanji's eyes…_

_Zoro shifted his body and found a weight pressed up against him. He cracked an eye open and held his breath at what he found. _

_Sanji was curled into him, his head resting against Zoro's chest, one long, beautiful leg was draped over his thigh. The swordsman lifted his hand to brush a few strands of golden hair out of Sanji's eyes. The cook stirred, but did not wake. He just smiled softly in his sleep and tucked himself further into Zoro's chest. Zoro smiled also as he watched the proud and stubborn cook cuddle him like a small child. They fit together perfectly, like the Chinese Yin and Yang; two manifested as one. _

_Zoro closed his eyes and tightened his arms around his most precious person…. his Sanji. He feared to wake, to return to the world where Sanji was no longer his, where the cook no longer loved him._

_He willed himself to slip back into deep sleep. To hide from reality for just a little while longer… to hold his Sanji in his arms and smell the sea and listen to the waves…_

_Listen to the waves… _

X x X x X

Sanji woke, startled. He couldn't tell if the noise he had heard was real or if it had been in his dreams. He lifted his head and his nose brushed the scratchy underside of Zoro's jaw. For one horrifying second, he couldn't fathom a reason why he had been sleeping with his arms and legs tangled with a certain swordsman.

But then the events of the previous night came flooding back to him. Their conversation, Zoro's broken explanation of their relationship, the wine, and his decision. His body relaxed and he lifted himself up on his elbow. He smiled down at the man beneath him as Zoro grunted softly and frowned in his sleep. The cook ran a finger over the wrinkled forehead and Zoro's face lost its tension. The swordsman sighed softly and Sanji contemplated kissing him awake.

He was glad in a way he had woken up before Zoro. Finding the cook curled with him on the couch might be a little too much to take all at once. Also, Sanji needed to take this slow. He had no idea what to say, how exactly to act. How do you sweet talk a man? Should he be romantic? Or should he just challenge him to a fight and take it from there?

He would need to talk to Zoro first, explain his feelings and ask Zoro to help him, show him what to do. Well… okay, not show him what to do, he already had a good idea what to do. But he needed some kind 

of guidance, some kind of… something. And he needed to make sure Zoro knew to not move too fast. It had only been a few days for Christ sake! Sex with a man still scared the shit out of him, but he was willing to try if it was with Zoro.

He had just decided to rise and take a shower, when the same noise that woke him, started up again. Sanji turned his head and tried to make out the sound. Was there someone hammering somewhere? Construction outside?

Then it hit him and he felt like kicking himself. It was the fucking door! Someone was knocking on the apartment door!

He pulled himself off the couch, careful to not disturb Zoro's sleep, and headed down the hallway to the small foyer. He ran his fingers though his hair and did his best to straighten his t-shirt and sweats. He unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open.

"Chopper?" He blinked when he saw who stood on his doorstep. "What are you doing here so early?"

The kid looked horrible, like he hadn't slept all night. His hair was tussled and dark circles hung beneath his eyes. His shoulders drooped as if he was carrying the world's hurts and his eyes were sad.

"Early?" Chopper made a face and checked his watch, "It's like eleven o'clock."

"Oh…" Sanji scratched his stubbled chin. "Uh, yeah. Late night last night." Eleven? That meant they had roughly five hours of sleep. Not too bad.

Chopper closed his eyes and clenched his jaw hard. "Please, _please_ do not tell me you guys went to that underground fighting thing last night."

Sanji scratched the back of his head and chuckled uncomfortably. "Oh, you know about that, huh?"

"Of course I know about it, moron!" Chopper squeaked, "I'm the one that's gotta patch you guys up afterwards!"

"I went, but only Zoro fought…" Sanji leaned against the doorframe and smiled fondly at his little friend. "Do you want to come in? I was about to make lunch."

Chopper's anger disappeared and he slipped his hands into his pockets. He nodded slowly after a minute and stepped in after Sanji moved to the side.

"Just do something fast," Chopper added, "I came to take you to your physical therapy appointment."

"Oh shit!" Sanji exclaimed. "What time is that?"

Chopper sighed. "It's in an hour and a half. I knew you'd forget, so I came early."

Sanji studied Chopper as the little medical student stared at the floor. There was something not right, Chopper was usually so cheery and optimistic. It didn't take a genius to figure out that something was bothering his friend.

"Chopper," Sanji moved closer and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Are you all right?"

Sanji was stunned to see tears well up in Chopper's eyes. Instead of flailing around and telling the cook he was fine and didn't need his help or concern, the kid just stood there crying softly, his eyes burning holes into the floor as tears trailed slowly down his cheeks.

"Chopper? Shit," Sanji moved the smaller man so they were facing each other and lowered himself to one knee. "Hey, hey, hey… Chopper, what's wrong? Hey, look at me, buddy! What's the matter?"

Chopper's eyes left the floor and slowly met Sanji's. He sniffed, and Sanji held him steady as he swayed on his feet.

"Usopp…" Chopper said softly. "He came over last night. He uh…" The younger man sniffed again and wiped his sleeve over his eyes. "He was fine for a while, just quiet. But after dinner and we had sat in the living room playing cards for a while… he just sort of…"

Sanji's worry increased as Chopper's voice broke and he covered his face with his hands. Sobs overtook the small body and Sanji wrapped his arms around his friend to keep him from falling to the floor. Sanji had been in this situation before, just never this bad. Chopper had come to him on many occasions to poor out the contents of his aching heart. The poor kid had been in love with Usopp ever since they had met in middle school. Chopper, being the selfless person he was, was always happy if Usopp was happy. When Usopp and Kaya had gotten together, Chopper had been ecstatic.

But, Sanji guessed, now that Usopp and Kaya had split up, Chopper was dying inside because the person he loved was in pain and he could do nothing about it.

Sanji maneuvered so that he was sitting on the floor and Chopper was in his lap. The kid had his arms wrapped so tightly around Sanji's neck, the cook's head was beginning to throb.

"Chopper," Sanji murmured into the soft, brown hair, "Ah, Chopper buddy… I'm sorry..."

Sanji saw movement out the corner of his eye and turned to see Zoro. The swordsman was making his way down the hall, rubbing his eyes and looking as concerned as a person just awakened from sleep could possibly look.

'What happened?' Zoro mouthed to Sanji.

'Usopp,' Sanji mouthed back.

Zoro nodded and made a cup with his hand tipping it back in a motion of drinking. He mouthed 'coffee' and pointed to the kitchen. Sanji nodded back, understanding. It was not a secret that Chopper was the world's biggest coffee lover. The kid needed it to make it through many sleepless nights studying or pulling double shifts at the hospital.

Sanji sat holding Chopper for a few more minutes. The sobs died down a little and the younger man fell silent. When the little doctor-to-be sat up, rubbing his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket once again, he looked up at Sanji and made a face.

"Sorry," he said simply.

Sanji smiled and ruffled his hair. "It's okay."

Chopper shook his head. "No… it's not. I need to learn to handle stuff like this and not have to come crying to you and Zoro all the time."

"Chopper," Zoro's voice said behind Sanji, "Come into the kitchen and have some coffee. Tell us what happened."

Chopper nodded again and let Sanji help him to his feet and pull him into the kitchen. He sat on one of the stools and leaned his elbows on the bar top. Zoro handed him a tall glass filled with ice and fresh coffee. Chopper mumbled a thank you and downed the first glass in seconds. Zoro took his glass and 

refilled it while Sanji slipped into the living room to grab his pack and lighter. When he returned, Zoro was sitting across from their young friend and Chopper was biting his lip nervously.

"So what happened?" Zoro asked gently.

Sanji watched Chopper's shoulders sag as he pulled a package of bacon from the freezer. He put it under running water and turned to lean against the sink. Lighting a cigarette, Sanji pulled the first smoke of the day into his lungs, closing his eyes as his favorite poison entered his veins.

"I uh…" Chopper mumbled. "Usopp came over last night and we had dinner. Nothing seemed particularly wrong with him in the beginning. He was just quiet, we played a couple games of cards and talked about you guys for a while."

Sanji itched to ask what exactly they talked about but he kept silent.

"But then in the middle of a game, he started doing that lip thing he does when he's really upset. So I put down the cards and asked if he wanted to talk about anything." Tears had gathered again in Chopper's eyes, but he did nothing to stop them as they traveled down his cheeks to fall and break apart on the bar top. "He said he was angry because he had seen Kaya earlier that day with her new lover… or whatever he is. They were uh…" His eyes closed and he gripped his cup until his fingertips turned white. "He saw them at a jewelry store in the mall… looking at rings."

"What the fuck?" Sanji almost coughed on his smoke.

"Was he sure it was them?" Zoro asked, looking as shocked as Sanji felt.

Chopper nodded and wiped furiously at his eyes. "He said he couldn't move for like ten minutes. He just watched them… God… he just tore himself apart last night! He was crying so hard and I didn't know what to do!"

Sanji moved around the island and sat beside his shaking friend.

"I'm so sorry, Chopper."

Chopper responded with a loud sniff and his eyes suddenly going a little clouded.

"Oh, that's not the worst part," he whispered.

Zoro tilted his head to the side and met Sanji's eyes for half a second.

"What's the worst part?" The swordsman asked.

Chopper's gaze didn't waver, and his voice only shook slightly.

"I told him."

Sanji frowned, not understanding. "Told him what?" He met Zoro's eyes again, and the swordsman looked a little pale.

"I told him I loved him." Chopper said. "I told him I've been in love with him since the seventh grade."

Sanji blinked slowly, not sure what he should say. He was shocked into silence, and judging by the look Zoro had plastered to his face, he was as well.

"You just… blurted it out like that?" Sanji asked.

Chopper finally looked away from whatever he had been looking at and gave Sanji his 'doctor's face'. "No, Sanji, I'm not retarded. He was crying and saying how he was worthless and no one would ever love him and should never love him because he didn't deserve it. I couldn't let him keep saying those things… so I told him that I did… and I always have."

Sanji crushed his butt between his fingers and sat trying to think of something profound to say.

"What did he do?" Zoro asked quietly.

Chopper looked at him and shrugged. "Not really anything. He just looked at me for a while and then laid his head in my lap and went to sleep. When I woke up this morning he was gone."

Zoro nodded and leaned back rubbing his neck. He suddenly looked as defeated as Chopper did.

"I'm sure he just needed some time to think it through." Sanji said, running a hand over Chopper's back. "He'll come back around and you guys will be inseparable again."

Chopper shook his head. "I don't think Usopp knew I'm gay until last night… I'm pretty sure now that he does know, he's not gonna want to be around me much anymore."

"Why not?" Sanji made a face, "You're still his best friend, you're still Chopper."

"Yeah, but now it's all different cause I had to go and open my stupid mouth." Chopper lowered his head to rest on his folded arms. "Now I'm the gay friend that loves him. I'm surprised he didn't just get up and leave last night."

Sanji heard Zoro's stool slide out from the island and he looked up to see the swordsman stand and turn away. Zoro's fingers laced behind his neck and Sanji could practically see the pain that weighed down his shoulders. The conversation was no doubt hurting Zoro, as it held several parallels to his relationship with Sanji. The cook knew he needed to be extremely careful of how he spoke in the next few minutes.

Turning back to Chopper, Sanji took the younger man's hand in his. "Chopper," he said firmly and the boy lifted his watery eyes to the cook. "Usopp might not love you the way you love him, but _he does love you_. Besides Kaya, you're the most important person to him in the whole world. The fact that you're gay or the fact that you love him another way isn't going to change that. Usopp just needs a little time to let it settle and he'll be fine."

Chopper looked at him for several long seconds before he said quietly into his sleeve.

"It's interesting to hear _you_ say that, Sanji…"

Sanji heard Zoro make a soft noise across the kitchen, but he didn't look away from Chopper.

"I have more right to say that than anyone else," Sanji said quietly. Chopper's eyes widened as he watched Sanji stand and pull out a second cigarette. The cook still avoided Zoro's gaze, but he could feel the swordsman's eyes on him. He moved back to the sink, shut off the water, and opened the package of bacon.

"I'm gonna make breakfast, or lunch, or whatever—brunch." Sanji said, matter-of-factly. "It's going to be fucking fantastic and you're gonna enjoy it. Then, Zoro is going to take me to my physical therapy appointment-"

"I am?" Zoro interrupted.

"Yes, you are." Sanji finally turned to glare at the swordsman. "You're going to take me, because Chopper is going to go home and sleep, and we're going to see Usopp right after my appointment."

Chopper's head snapped up. "Y-you are?"

"Yes," Sanji, holding the unlit cigarette between his teeth, washed his hands and started pulling down pans. He opened the cupboard to take down several different spices as he continued. "We're going to go over there and make sure he's okay before I start kicking his ass. You don't just leave without saying anything right after your best friend makes a huge confession like that. It's not fair to you, Chopper."

"But, Sanji I-"

"Don't fucking argue with me, Tanuki."

Sanji watched Chopper make several attempts to say something, but gave up after being fixed with the cook's glare. He muttered an 'okay' into his hands, took his coffee, and went to go watch TV in the living room while Sanji finished cooking.

Sanji pulled spinach from the fridge and ran it under cold water. He felt Zoro move to lean against the sink next to him. The swordsman was quiet as he waited for Sanji to finish washing the leaves.

"Don't try to get out of it, Zoro," Sanji said when he turned off the water.

"I wasn't going to try and get out of it," Zoro said quietly. "I was just thinking about what you said."

Sanji didn't pretend to not know what Zoro was talking about. He scooped up the spinach and placed it in a large bowl.

"I think I'm the leading authority right now when it comes to this particular topic." Sanji muttered.

Zoro scowled. "What, the 'Feeling Uncomfortable When Your Best Friend Confesses' topic?"

Sanji slammed his hands down on the counter and rounded on Zoro. His face was so close to Zoro's he could speak barely above a whisper and it didn't matter.

"Wow, no, asshole! Nice job of turning that all around! Fucking listen to what I say next time! I'm the leading authority on finding out your best friend is gay and has feelings for you, but it doesn't change how much you care about him!" Zoro's jaw clenched hard and Sanji continued a little calmer before the swordsman could interrupt, watching Zoro's eyes watch his lips.

"We talked about this before, Zoro. I meant it when I said you were the only one who could get me to walk again. You make me feel things I've never felt before." _Oh, this is getting perilously close to things I'm not ready to talk about just yet… This evening… after all this with Chopper and Usopp and everyone is over_… _I'll tell him_. "You inspire me to be a better fighter. I love watching you fight. I don't care who or what or where you like to fuck, okay? I don't care! I don't think I could handle not being your friend, all right? I just-"

Sanji's words died as Zoro's hand snaked around the back of his head. The swordsman's fingers tangled in his hair and before Sanji could react, Zoro had caught him in a searing kiss. His lips were crushed, his breath stolen, and then his mouth was invaded by a strong and considerably talented tongue. Sanji's eyes closed and he lost himself in sensation. Zoro tasted like coffee; coffee and a musky something that was very Zoro. Sanji's heart fluttered in his chest and he tried to kiss back as the larger man tilted his head back and claimed his mouth for a few short seconds. The floor fell out beneath Sanji's feet and his head spun. He had just enough of his mind left to realize he was, for the first time, being kissed within an inch of his life.

But then it was over and Zoro was breathing heavily against his skin. Their foreheads touched and Sanji felt Zoro's other hand meet the nape of his neck. The cook used every ounce of willpower he had to keep his breathing slow and even.

_Oh_ _shit… Oh my god… Who knew he could kiss like that! Jesus fucking Christ that was incredible!_

Sanji opened his eyes and brought up his own hand to grab Zoro's. The swordsman was trembling. Sanji could feel it, hear it in the ragged breaths the other took. _He_ had caused this. _He_ was the one that made Zoro come undone. Sanji felt powerful and terrible, elated and guilty all at the same time.

Zoro clenched his jaw shut and whispered, "I'm sorry..."

Fuck, after tonight you can do that as much as you want… "It's okay," he whispered back. "It's okay, Zoro…"

Zoro's eyes opened slowly and hesitantly met Sanji's. Pain radiated from his dark irises like heat. Sanji could almost feel it as he stood bare inches from Zoro's lips. He almost, _almost_ leaned forward and kissed the swordsman again.

Zoro opened his mouth to say something again, but Sanji stopped him.

"Later, Zoro," he said gently. "We'll talk tonight, okay? After we deal with all this shit now… We have friends that need us."

Zoro closed his eyes again and exhaled softly. "Okay…" He nodded slowly, "Okay…"

Sanji reluctantly removed Zoro's hands and stood the swordsman up straight. He straightened the taller man's shirt and flattened his hair.

"I need your support today, so don't fall apart on me, all right?"

Zoro gave him a funny look.

"You need my support to talk to Usopp?"

Sanji turned back to the spinach and retrieved his cigarette from where it fell on the counter.

"Nope, I need your support for after that. When we go to Kaya's."

**TBC **


	14. Chapter 14

It's done! The chapter is DONE! I can't believe it! Holy crap! Sorry this took so long folks. Life and writer's block happens. Hope you enjoy! This was a hard chapter to write! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all the wonderful reviews! I LURVE you guys! XDDD

**Chapter 14**

Zoro ate the spinach quiche and drank his coffee, not because he was hungry, but because he desperately needed something to do with his hands. If he sat at the bar or on the living room couch to wait for Chopper and Sanji to finish eating, he might have started absently scratching holes in his skin or maybe he would press the palms of his hands so hard into his eye sockets his eyeballs would burst.

Zoro was an optimistic person by nature, sometimes intensely so, so this want for self-destruction was uncharacteristic and troublesome. So it had been a couple of shitty days, but it didn't warrant the kind of damage he was wishing he could inflict upon himself… or someone else. Maybe that was really what he wanted -- someone to beat the shit out of. Someone to pummel, slice up… strangle.

Fearing he was nearing some kind of mental breakdown, Zoro excused himself and took his dishes to the sink. He ignored the conversation between Sanji and his younger friend and moved through the dining room. He stopped in the middle of the wide, empty space just before the large corner windows. The area was void of furniture, nothing hung on the walls, and workout mats were kept folded up to the side. He and the old Sanji had nicknamed the space 'The Baby Dojo'.

Closing his eyes, Zoro breathed in deeply and began the first routine of Chen. The Chinese style was less familiar to him than some of the Japanese meditative stances his sensei had taught him, but Lao Jia Yi Lu was designed specifically to promote concentration. Sanji had taught these moves to him after they had been 'dating' for a few months. The series was beautiful, easy to do, and looked really cool. Zoro moved through the sequence slowly, the names of the movements flittering though his head: 'Begin Taiji', 'Pounds Mortar', 'Lazy Tying Coat'… His heartbeat slowed and Zoro felt his head clearing as he moved into 'Six Sealing and Four Closing'.

Zoro widened his stance and bent his left leg. Turning his torso he spread his arms gracefully with one hand curled toward the floor and the other with the palm facing outward. This was his favorite pose: _Dan Bian_, 'Single Whip', it was the closest to a swordsman's stance.

He knew he was not as proficient in these moves as the cook was, but they did their job in calming and focusing Zoro's thoughts. As he advanced through the next few postures: 'Pounds Mortar' again, 'White Crane', and 'Walking Obliquely', Zoro felt less and less like he needed to kill someone. Calm enveloped him like a warm coat. It did nothing for the ache in his heart, but his nerves were returning to normal.

But even if Zoro's body was relaxing, his mind was still running at seventy thousand miles an hour. His thoughts turned to Sanji again; about kissing Sanji. That had been so fucking stupid, why had he done it? What had possessed him to traverse those few significant inches and…

Zoro sighed softly. He had shown terrible, terrible weakness to the cook since the underground fight. Any headway he had gained from that victory had been lost last night with his fumbling explanation and inability to control himself this morning. Sanji had been kind enough to see his despair and refrained from kicking the shit out of him, but it was obvious that tonight things between them would be finalized. Zoro could already predict exactly what was going to happen. Sanji was going to lay the boundary lines. He would tell Zoro he cared about him as a friend and soften the blow with praises of his swordsmanship and martial arts, but would solidify in concrete how he could never be with him in a romantic sense.

Zoro wasn't sure his heart could handle it. He wasn't entirely sure that he wouldn't just break apart into a thousand tiny pieces on the hardwood floor. Was it possible to die of a broken heart? Would his chest get so tight that he'd stop breathing completely? He almost felt like he could now, even with the calming exercises.

He wondered vaguely if Sanji had any idea what kind of power he had over the swordsman. If Sanji knew that his decision was going to destroy Zoro completely. It was highly unlikely, but even if Sanji knew, it wasn't like it would change anything. You can't _force_ someone love you…

Zoro felt eyes on him and straightened, letting his arms fall to his sides and taking a deep breath. When he turned his head, he met Chopper's dark brown gaze. The younger man was standing, leaning against the wall with his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He looked very small at the moment, not to mention his eyes held the tiniest trace of despair.

Turning to face Chopper directly, Zoro ran a hand though his hair and waited for his friend to speak. When he did, Chopper's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I wish I was strong like you, Zoro…"

Zoro's heart stung. _Strong? Him? He had just left the room for fear of gouging his eyes out!_ He shook his head and folded his arms over his chest. Crossing the room to lower himself to the mats against the wall, Zoro sighed deeply and closed his eyes.

"I'm not as strong as you think I am, Chopper."

A sniff and a soft rustle of fabric told Zoro that Chopper was slowly making his way over to him. Without opening his eyes, he held out his arm and welcomed the smaller body as it curled against his side. Chopper leaned his head against Zoro's shoulder and let out a breath. The two sat silently for several minutes, lost in their thoughts.

"Zoro…" Chopper finally broke the silence.

"Hm?" Zoro grunted.

The younger man sighed and sat up straighter so he could look at Zoro while he spoke.

"Do you ever wish you'd never met Sanji?"

Zoro turned and frowned at his friend. "What?"

"Do you ever wish that you had never met Sanji? Like, would it be worth it to have just never loved him and therefore never lost him, so you wouldn't be in pain right now?"

Zoro looked at the floor thoughtfully and chewed the inside of his lip. "I've never really thought about it… Never meeting Sanji that is… I've thought about knowing him, but never letting our relationship be anything more than friendship…"

Chopper nodded, watching the swordsman's features.

"You know that saying," Zoro looked back at Chopper, "'It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all'?"

Chopper nodded. "Alfred Lord Tennyson said that… or maybe it was Samuel Butler… I don't know. But yeah, I know the saying."

Zoro looked away again and frowned harshly at the windows.

"I bet that asshole's never lost shit."

Chopper chuckled softly, but Zoro could tell there was no humor in it.

"So… that's a yes then?" Chopper said softly. "You wish you'd never met him?"

Zoro looked back at Chopper once more, somberly. Their eyes met and the older man was surprised to feel the pressure of tears.

"No, Chopper," Zoro whispered. "I wouldn't give up the memories I have of us for anything. Not even to ease the pain…"

Chopper sniffed and hesitated only a moment before throwing his arms around Zoro and hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Zoro…" Chopper said in a broken whisper. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay…" Zoro squeezed his friend gently and kissed the mass of sandy-brown hair. "I'll be okay… and so will you…"

Chopper pulled away and wiped at his eyes. He chuckled in earnest and Zoro's spirits lifted on hearing the sound.

"Look at us," Chopper said, "Two guys hopelessly in love with their best friends. Their very _straight_ best friends. It's so pathetic."

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, we are, aren't we?"

"We might as well just date each other. No one else would be able to stand our angst."

Zoro snickered and flicked a curl out of Chopper's eye. "That's not the worst idea I've ever heard."

Chopper looked at the floor and Zoro was surprised to see the younger man's cheeks flush.

"I…" he stammered. "I wasn't serious… You're way too cool and good-looking for me, Zoro."

Zoro smiled and put his finger underneath Chopper's chin, tilting the other's face up to him. "Don't sell yourself short, Chopper. I wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with you."

Chopper turned beet red instantly and flailed his arms, effectively smacking Zoro on the shoulder.

"Asshole! I don't like it when you compliment me! Shut up!"

Zoro laughed hard as his friend tried to hide his grin, obviously not hating the attention one bit. One of Zoro's favorite things to do in high school had been to say nice things to Chopper because the kid would go crazy. He would flail, smack the nearest person, hide underneath the lunch table, all while crying his dislike of the kind words, and grinning like a madman.

Too freaking cute for his own good.

Sanji entered the room at that moment, dressed in a pair of clean jeans and a blue long-sleeved shirt, unbuttoned over a white t-shirt. He hadn't done anything to his hair and it just hung, damp around his face. Zoro's heart clenched as the sexy blond raised an eyebrow and grinned at him.

"What the hell did you say to him?"

Zoro shrugged, burying his heartache.

"I said he was cute?"

X x X x X

The physical therapist stood with her mouth gaping, hands limp at her sides. She had lost the clip board long ago as it was obvious Sanji Black could do everything on the checklist, and his coordination and fine motor skills were functioning perfectly.

Maybe a little too perfectly…

Sanji looked up at her between soft strands of blond hair and grinned. He balanced on one hand, holding the stress ball in the other and kicking his heels together in the air.

"I'm not sure what else I can do to convince you, miss," Sanji said without a hint of fatigue in his voice, "I could back handspring down the length of your therapy room… or maybe you'd like to see me fight my friend over there?" He pointed to the green-haired man leaning against the far wall and chuckling into his hand. "I am afraid though, if we did that, we'd break something."

Her eyes opened wider and she felt a little faint as the nimble blond lowered his legs, bending his back almost in half, before straightening up and untwisting the soft workout pants. She caught a glance of the perfectly toned torso before he pulled the cotton shirt down, and wondered if the info she had read up on this man had been correct. You can't have a body like that when you cook for a living, can you?

"I…" she tried to find her voice, "It still doesn't make any sense." She moved shakily to where she had set his paperwork and flipped through his notes. "It says here that you had been in a coma for over eleven months… and you've only been awake for a few weeks." She looked up from the paperwork and made a face.

"Are you really Sanji Black?"

Sanji smiled at her and she felt her insides tie into knots. He really was handsome, and too charming to be a real person.

"I swear that I am Sanji Black," he said, brushing his blond hair out of his eyes. "I would never lie about something like that. Especially to a lady as cute as you are. 'Cause if I saw you again outside this setting, I'd want to ask you out for a drink. So I would have to either keep up the lie of being someone I'm not, crushing any chance of a second date, or tell you right off the bat that I lied to you before, and pretty much crush any chance of a first." Her patient spread his hands in defeat. "So, in conclusion, I really would just be setting _myself_ up for failure if I lied about my name."

The physical therapist blushed and coughed to cover her giggle. Cute, charming, outspoken… there _must_ be something wrong with him.

"Well," she said, her pen flying over the paperwork, "There really is no need for you to keep up the physical therapy. And even thought it makes me sad to see you go, I will discharge you today." She looked up at him, smiling. "I'll cancel the rest of your appointments and call your doctor."

Sanji beamed and bowed gracefully. Her heart fluttered as he took her hand and kissed the back of her palm.

"Thank you, darling. I appreciate it."

With that, the therapist watched the handsome blond grab his bag, exchange a few bantering words with the equally gorgeous man waiting for him, and walk out of her life.

X x X x X

Usopp lived in a plain, two-story colonial house left to him by his late grandmother. It was a pretty green, trimmed in white with a large two-car garage that Usopp used as his workshop. The property sat in the North Seattle/Shoreline area, ten or fifteen minutes away from the Puget Sound. As Sanji stepped out of the car, he admired the work that had been done to the yard in his absence. A simple walkway had been laid with flat, grey, stone steps and outlined by bright purple Angelonias. There were many other beautiful touches to the landscape, but it was obvious that the stone path was the focal point.

Sanji's heart gave a little pang as he realized, Usopp's clever hands had no doubt built this path for Kaya.

Zoro must have noticed his quick mood change because the swordsman moved up beside him and bumped his elbow.

"Hey," he said gruffly, "What's wrong?"

Sanji shook his head and gestured toward the house. "Nothing, let's go."

Sanji took a moment to look at Zoro before he followed the other up the path. The swordsman had showered and put on dark blue jeans and a long sleeved, black pullover. The top clung a little to his muscular shoulders, and the jeans hugged his hips just enough to show off all the right lines and angles. Sanji fought that familiar feeling of inferiority as he admired how sexy his friend was. When Zoro turned to look at him over his shoulder, the cook wanted to hide behind his leather jacket collar. He was so goddamn handsome! Even when he looked pissed! It wasn't fair! Sanji snapped his jaw shut and felt his face reddening. Getting caught staring was embarrassing enough, but getting caught staring with your mouth hanging open was on a completely different level.

Halfway up the path, the pair stopped when they heard a loud crash from the garage. Rolling his eyes at Zoro, Sanji turned around to head that direction.

"Should have known," he muttered with a smile.

"Yeah," Zoro followed him, hands deep in his pockets. "Where else would he be? Does he even use the house?"

Sanji laughed quietly, but sobered as the two turned the corner and stepped through the open workshop door. "Oh wow…" he whispered.

Sitting on supports in the middle of the shop, was a dark blue Chevrolet. Sanji wasn't sure of the model or the year, but it was definitely post war. It had the look of the cars in those 1950's mobster movies; something you would see the boss being driven around in as he made plans for the next hit with his number two guy.

"It's a 1949 Chevy Deluxe Fastback," Zoro muttered. "He's been working on it since your accident. Got it from some old guy selling it as scrap."

"Shit, that's lucky." Sanji placed a cigarette between his lips, but didn't light up. Who knew what highly flammable things Usopp could have just laying around?

He moved between the cluttered work tables to stand beside the American classic. Zoro followed and leaned against the front fender, resting his arm on the roof. Sanji noticed how the swordsman was chewing the inside of his lip and scowling deeply, but he figured he was just trying to be as intimidating as possible. He ignored it for the moment and turned his attention back to task.

Between them, Usopp's legs stuck out from under the car's frame. His coveralls were stained with something black, and his boots were scuffed and dirty. There was more clanging and a soft 'Shit!' was uttered from beneath the vehicle.

Sanji slipped his hands into his pockets and followed Zoro's example by leaning on the Chevy and scowling.

"Nice day, huh, Usopp?" He said loudly.

Something clattered to the concrete floor, and Usopp's legs stilled. There were several moments of silence before the engineer's soft voice spoke up from beneath his project.

"That you, Sanji?"

"Nope," Sanji turned and leaned his back against the car. "It's the Dalai fucking Lama."

Usopp scrambled out from underneath and quickly got to his feet. His face and neck were a cacophony of dark smudges and his hands were almost solid black.

"H-hey Sanji, Zoro," the engineer stuttered, fidgeting with the rag he held in his hands. "I, uh… I was just doing a little body work, but I actually have a dentist appointment I should be getting ready for, so I guess I'll just-"

"Lies." Zoro growled as his hand came down on Usopp's shoulder. The swordsman turned and pushed him up against the car in one easy movement. Usopp whimpered softly, but said nothing. He just looked back and forth between his two friends and seemed to cave in on himself bit by bit.

Sanji didn't like the look in Zoro's eyes and didn't totally agree with the rough treatment, but he said nothing about it and turned his attention back to their younger friend.

"So, how are you today, Usopp?" Sanji tried to be as imposing as he could without being overly frightening. Usopp scared easier even than Chopper sometimes. "Zoro and I just happened to be passing by, thought we'd stop in. Say hello."

Usopp's lower lip trembled and he glanced at Zoro, but the swordsman was doing an excellent bad cop to Sanji's good cop and Usopp actually whimpered. The engineer turned back to Sanji and held up his hands.

"Look," he stammered, "I know what this is about, okay? I have no idea what to do about it. I'm just… freaking out a little bit about the whole thing right now."

Zoro's lips pulled back to bare his teeth. He leaned in over Usopp and made their mere inches in height difference seem like a lot more.

"How the _fuck_ do you think Chopper feels right now? Huh? Did that thought even cross your mind?"

Okay, maybe his bad cop was a little too good. Sanji stepped forward and put an arm between his two friends.

"Enough, Zoro," Sanji said carefully. "Calm down, okay? Scaring the piss out of him isn't going to help."

Zoro turned his angry eyes on Sanji then and stood straighter. "I'm just wondering why he left Chopper all alone this morning without the slightest explanation. Why he didn't bother to make sure his best friend was alright before he ran off and hid like a little bitch?"

_Oh, wow, why is Zoro so angry all of a sudden?_ Sanji frowned, confused. _It's not like Usopp hurt Zoro personally… well, then again he might have, Zoro and Chopper seem pretty close._

Usopp's voice interrupted Sanji's thoughts. "What happened to Chopper? Is he okay?"

"No-"

"Yes-"

Zoro glared at Sanji and the cook put his hand on the swordsman's chest. "He's okay now, Usopp. He just had a rough morning." He pushed Zoro back and glanced over his shoulder at the trembling engineer.

"Give us a sec will ya?"

He turned back to Zoro and grabbed the neckline of his pullover, dragging him to the workshop door and out into the driveway.

"What the fuck, Zoro!" Sanji hissed when they were outside. "How is that gonna get us anywhere? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Zoro growled and moved in so close, their breath mingled and Sanji could clearly see the pain the swordsman was trying to hide in his dark eyes.

"He did a really shitty thing, Sanji!" Zoro said quietly. "He hurt Chopper because he was only thinking about his goddamn self, and now he's gonna play it off and lie like it was-"

"You don't know a goddamn thing about what Usopp might be thinking right now, asshole!" Sanji ground his teeth around his unlit cigarette and pushed Zoro back a step. "He just lost Kaya, and now he's having to deal with the fact that his best friend is in love with him! I know you sympathize with Chopper on this, but you have _got_ to pull your head out of your ass and look at it from both sides!"

Zoro's eyes narrowed and he sneered. "Are you saying that because that's what you're doing? Or are you just sympathizing with the straight guy?"

Sanji's breath caught and his anger flared. It took an extraordinary amount of willpower to keep from stepping back and kicking the shit out of the other man. Instead, he pulled his lighter from his pocket and lit up, pulling the smoke into his lungs and blowing it coolly in Zoro's face.

The swordsman didn't move and Sanji pointed to the street.

"Take a walk, Zoro."

Zoro's brow furrowed. "Excuse me?"

"I said," Sanji puffed again, "Take a fucking walk, cool off. I'll talk to Usopp."

Zoro stood for a few long moments, trying to turn Sanji to stone with his glare before he muttered, "This is bullshit," and treaded heavily down the driveway.

Sanji took a minute to smoke the rest of his cigarette and then crushed it between his fingers and tossed it in the nearby trashcan. He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked back into the workshop. Usopp stood with his back to him over a pile of gadgets that Sanji couldn't even begin to place their use. The younger man was tightening something with a small wrench, but stopped when Sanji stepped up beside him.

Usopp looked up and stared straight ahead at the wall. "I thought if I stayed with him last night, he would know I didn't… hate him or anything." Usopp spoke so quietly, Sanji had to strain to hear him. "I just didn't know what to say when he woke up, so I bolted. I know that was awful, but I thought- at the time- that it was better than me staying and saying something stupid."

Sanji leaned against the table and tilted his head to the side. "Why didn't you leave him a note? Text him after you left? _Something_?"

Usopp's eyes filled slowly and he shook his head.

"I don't know…"

Sanji put a hand on Usopp's shoulder. "You need to fix this, Usopp."

Usopp nodded and wiped at his nose, leaving a black smudge where his hand passed. Sanji almost laughed and Usopp pulled his rag from his pocket with a small smile.

"You have your phone on you?" Sanji asked.

Usopp nodded again and looked at Sanji with big eyes. "You want me to call him? Now?"

"Now," Sanji answered.

Usopp sniffed and backed away from the work table. He moved to a shelf by the door and plucked his cell from the top rack. Sitting on the floor in front of the same shelf, he flipped open the phone and cycled through his contacts.

"Are you gonna listen?" He asked, not looking up.

Sanji moved to sit on a crate next to his friend. "If you want me to."

Usopp nodded again. "Yes… please." He pressed the 'send' button and slowly put the phone to his ear. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The two waited until the ringing stopped and Chopper's voicemail message began to play. Usopp looked up at Sanji and whispered. "He didn't answer! He's pissed! He doesn't want to talk to me!"

"Hang up," Sanji said. "You know Chopper, if he's there, he'll call right back."

Usopp closed the phone, and sure enough, within a minute _Breathe_ by Red started playing, and Chopper's name came up on the caller ID. The engineer flipped open the phone and brought it to his ear with a trembling hand.

"Hello?"

Sanji couldn't hear Chopper's voice on the line, but guessed what he said when Usopp answered.

"Yeah… it's me. I…" The curly-haired man closed his eyes and lowered his head to rest on his bent knees. When he spoke again, his voice was muffled. "Chopper I'm sorry… I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just didn't know what to say. I didn't want to make things worse by saying something that I'd regret so I just…"

Sanji frowned as Usopp trailed off and the younger man lifted his head. The engineer had a peculiar look on his face and Sanji couldn't think for the life of him what Chopper was saying to have put it there.

Then Usopp started to chuckle and Sanji started to worry.

"Usopp?" He asked carefully. "What's going on?"

Usopp wiped a few stray tears from his eyes and smiled as he spoke into the phone.

"No, they're here, but Zoro is outside and Sanji is sitting a few feet away from me."

_What the fuck?_ Sanji thought. He made a face at Usopp and the younger man pulled his mouth away from the phone.

"He asked if I was being held at sword or knifepoint by one of you."

Sanji rolled his eyes and stood, making his way over to the door. Usopp chuckled again, and returned to speaking into the phone.

"Sanji rolled his eyes at you… You know, you could have called me if you were that worried…" Silence for a minute. "Chopper, you're my best friend. It would take more than that to make me hate you…"

Usopp's words were muffled again as he buried his face in the crook of his elbow. Sanji watched for a few seconds and decided, now that everything was going fine, he shouldn't be eavesdropping on this very personal conversation. He pulled out his pack and stepped outside to light up.

Zoro was leaning against the wall by the door when he exited. Sanji turned to face him, but the swordsman didn't look up. Several moments passed and the silence hung thick in the air before Zoro spoke quietly.

"I was out of line. I'm sorry."

Sanji flicked his lighter and breathed in. He shrugged and plucked the cigarette from his lips.

"I know you were angry… it's all right."

Zoro shook his head slowly. "It's not, but it doesn't matter now I guess."

Sanji stood, smoking quietly and wishing the silence wasn't so uncomfortable. He struggled to think of something to say, but whenever he opened his mouth to say it, the look on Zoro's face as he watched the ground discouraged him.

_God, I hope I'm more articulate later tonight_, Sanji thought to himself.

A tightening started in Sanji's gut as he thought about what he was going to say that evening. He had pushed the impending encounter from his mind as he worried about Usopp, but now nervousness crawled under his skin as he frantically tried to decide how he was going to approach the subject. _'Oh, by the way, Zoro… I've decided that I'm gonna try being gay now'_, just really wasn't going to cut it. _'I know I've put you through hell the last couple weeks, Zoro, but I decided last night to try and make it work…'_

Sanji sighed. It all sounded so retarded.

_Zoro, I want to try and make our relationship work again…_

Good Lord, no.

_I think I'm ready to_-

Hell no.

_Come here, Zoro, I want to try something_…

…

_Zoro, I think I may be falling in love with you again_…

Sanji wanted to smash his head into something.

Luckily, Usopp emerged from the garage at that moment and sighed softly. Sanji and Zoro both turned to him and waited quietly for their young friend to speak.

Usopp looked up and slipped his hands into his pockets. "I'm gonna bring him dinner tonight at work… we'll talk more then."

"Is he okay?" Sanji asked.

Usopp shook his head. "No… But I think…" he glanced at Zoro. "He's not, but I'm going to make things right… He _is_ my best friend."

Zoro nodded and pushed off the wall."Good," he said simply as he ruffled Usopp's hair before making his way down the driveway.

Sanji stood still, looking at Usopp carefully. "You okay?"

Usopp looked at the ground. "I will be."

Sanji backed away and smiled softly. "That's all I can ask for, I guess."

Usopp leaned against the door frame and met Sanji's eyes once again. "Thanks for coming."

Sanji nodded and turned away. He descended the driveway, pulled open the passenger side door and got in the car. He watched Usopp's reflection in the rearview mirror as they sped away. When he disappeared, Sanji turned to Zoro and a thought popped into his head.

"Hey, Zoro, if I'm done with physical therapy, and the doc gave me a good to go… why the fuck are you still driving my car?"

Zoro had to laugh.

X x X x X

Sanji had forgotten how beautiful Kaya's parents' house was. Four story luxury home, built in the traditional European style, tucked back into the hills of Northern Seattle with a view of the water. The cook stood with a crick building in his neck from staring up at the brilliantly designed foyer. It was a compact space horizontally, but had high ceilings that drew the eye upward. The vertical and horizontal effects were balanced by painting the spiral staircase a deep brown and therefore contrasting it with the light caramels in the rest of the room. A brilliant glass chandelier hung from the ceiling directly overhead, and Sanji began to feel underdressed.

"Kaya hosted a murder mystery party here two years ago," Zoro said quietly. "You played the victim and got to die here in the foyer."

Sanji looked down and smirked at the swordsman. "That must have been fun. What was it for?"

"Charity, what else?"

Sanji snickered. "Did you get to play a part?"

"I was the killer."

Sanji laughed and his baritone echoed against the walls merrily. "You strangle me? Shoot me?"

Zoro was smiling now, his uncomfortable posture relaxing slightly. "I stabbed you, got cherry syrup everywhere."

"Not on anything nice of mine I hope."

"Oh, I'm sure it was expensive."

"Damn you," Sanji whispered with a grin as the sound of doors opening rang through the area.

Both men turned to see a tall, dark-skinned man enter through the inner doors. His black hair was to his shoulders and his features were rough; handsome. He carried himself with confidence and stood almost a foot taller than Zoro. When he entered the foyer, he stopped and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You two must be Zoro and Sanji," the man's deep, smooth as silk voice danced across Sanji's skin.

"We are," Zoro frowned as Sanji tensioned beside him. "Who the hell are you?"

The man regarded Zoro and Sanji carefully with his almond eyes, his aura becoming more defensive and less friendly by the second.

"My name is Chaka," he said simply, but with an unmistakable finality.

"I'm Kaya's fiancé."

**TBC **


	15. Chapter 15

Thank you all so much for the reviews! You're so nice! I'm sorry this was so long in coming, but we had a death in the family. I'm dealing with it okay because I really didn't know him, but my parents and aunts and uncles are all taking it pretty hard. I'm just trying to be strong and be there for them as best I can. But anyway, enough about me, on with the fic! x)

Thank you all so much for reading! Enjoy! X)

**Chapter 15**

_I'm Kaya's fiancé._

Zoro blinked stupidly, as he couldn't find his voice immediately.

It was _true_? Kaya really had left Usopp for another guy? This guy? He was damn handsome, Zoro could give him that, his dark skin and black, almond shaped eyes made him exotic looking. He also seemed fairly formidable, muscles rippled underneath the soft cotton of his shirt and he took a relaxed stance with his feet slightly spread. But that shouldn't mean anything. This guy wasn't _Usopp_. Kaya was crazy over Usopp! What the hell had changed?

Zoro felt Sanji shift his weight as the blond placed an unlit cigarette between his lips.

"That's interesting," Sanji said coolly as he slipped his hands in his pockets, "For how long?"

Chaka stood unmoving as he answered, "Since we were twelve."

Sanji's eyebrows lifted in disbelief. "You were going around proposing to girls at twelve and meaning it? I thought I was the only kid that did that."

Chaka's brow furrowed and he glared at Sanji. "Our parents made the match. We had nothing to do with it."

Zoro shoved his hands in his pockets as well. Whatever the cook was doing, it probably wouldn't help him any if Zoro butted in. The swordsman stood quietly, his body riddled with tension.

Sanji looked up at Chaka with heat in his eyes. "Did you want her at all? Or was it entirely up to your family?"

"Our parents knew it would be a good match," Chaka was getting angrier by the second. "They knew she would make a good wife to someone within my family. She's well known and well liked. I also can give her the support she needs to start her hospitals and schools. I saw the reason in what my parents were doing and have accepted it as my duty!"

Sanji stepped forward and Zoro felt the rage rolling off the blond in waves.

"You do know that's as bad as selling her, right?" Sanji growled. "Her family is _selling_ their daughter to you and you're accepting. You're _buying_ her!"

Chaka replied with a hard bite and stepped towards Sanji. "She's not being _bought_!"

"Yes, she is!"

"What the hell do you know?" Chaka growled, his hands balled up into fists at his sides. His body was shaking visibly. "I didn't just 'accept' her like you're suggesting! We've been friends since we were little! Don't misconstrue things! I am honored to be her husband! Kaya is a good woman and I would never think of her as some kind of _possession_! She is kind and absolutely selfless! You know _nothing_ of the things she's given up for the sake of others!"

Zoro watched as Sanji stood for several long seconds, just looking at the taller man. The cook studied the anger and hurt that was so obviously set in Chaka's features. Zoro wondered what kinds of things were going through Sanji's mind as he stood there. The blond's visible eye was calculating; penetrating Chaka's exterior. Zoro had seen Sanji do this hundreds of times. What was the brilliant man seeing and milling over in his head? What had Zoro missed in the conversation?

The fight left Sanji's face suddenly. He shifted his weight on his feet, switching from a defensive stance to a relaxed stance with the space of a half second. The blond closed his eyes and lowered his head, pulling the cigarette from his mouth and sighing softly.

"So you love her then?" Sanji whispered.

Chaka lost his defensive attitude just as quickly. He backed off and folded his arms across his chest. To Zoro's surprise, he looked a little nervous.

"Yes, I do. Very much."

Wait, what the hell was Sanji doing?

"Does she love you?" Sanji asked; his eyes lidded.

Chaka hesitated, but nodded slowly. "Yes, I believe she does."

Sanji sighed again and backed off. He looked at Zoro, defeated, and placed the cigarette behind his ear. Zoro almost hit him. So that was it? This guy says Kaya and him love each other and it's all good? What about Usopp? What the hell was the shit cook thinking?!

Zoro made a move to grab Sanji's arm, but he was stopped by a sweet voice from the balcony directly above them.

"Sanji? Sanji Black?"

Zoro and Sanji both looked up to see a beautiful blonde woman somewhere in her late forties. She resembled Kaya in every way, the hair, the pale skin, the mannerisms, just a slightly older version. She leaned over the railing with a soft smile on her pretty face.

"Oh my, and Zoro too! Welcome! I haven't seen you two in ages!" She straightened and started down the stairs to meet them.

Sanji's mood and stance switched yet again. He smiled genuinely and moved to meet Kaya's mother at the bottom of the stairway.

"Mrs. Merri!" Sanji cooed and took the older woman's hand. "It's such a pleasure to see you again! How are you feeling? You look positively stunning as usual!" Zoro watched, not a little jealous of the woman as the cook placed a tender kiss on the back of Mrs. Merri's hand.

Mrs. Merri laughed sweetly and placed her palm on Sanji's cheek. "Just as handsome and charming as I remember you," she said fondly. "I heard you were in an accident a while back, are you well now? You look wonderful!"

Zoro turned back to Chaka, not wanting to witness Sanji's charms used on someone other than himself. Again. He glared at the taller man and folded his arms across his chest.

Chaka met his gaze evenly, but something in his eyes gave Zoro pause. It's wasn't an uncertainty, nor was it any kind of fear, but it made Zoro's pulse quicken and he frowned in confusion.

"Oh no, no, no, Mrs. Merri! We couldn't stay! Zoro and I have a few errands we have to run tonight still! Thank you so much for offering though, it's so sweet!"

Zoro ignored Sanji's overly distracting voice, and tried to understand what Chaka was trying to communicate with his eyes.

Zoro cocked his head ever so slightly to the side as if to say, 'What is it?'

Chaka's head nodded once, indicating he should look up again.

Zoro looked, and saw another woman standing on the balcony, also looking to be in here late forties, maybe early fifties, arms folded across her chest and a stern expression chiseled into her hard features. It was as obvious as Mrs. Merri was Kaya's mother, that this frightening looking woman was Chaka's mother. She had the same dark skin, and exotic-shaped eyes. Her and her son had the exact same frown, only Chaka's seemed somewhat… less cruel?

Zoro glanced back at Chaka, trying desperately to understand what the man in front of him was trying to tell him, but then insight hit him like a hammer to the skull.

Was the presence of his mother keeping him from speaking freely? Was he hiding something?

"But I am so sorry that we just dropped by like this," Sanji was saying. "And I'm sorry we missed Kaya, but we're glad we got to meet this new fiancé of hers. You must be so proud."

"Oh, well Kaya said he makes her happy." Mrs. Merri said, "That is my only wish: That my daughter is happy. I will tell Kaya you were here though. Maybe you can stop by later this week?"

"That would be wonderful! Would you like me to make lunch?"

"Oh! That would be fabulous! I'll tell the cooks to let you have full rein of the kitchen! They'll be so excited to have such a renowned chef working with them!"

Zoro took one last quick look at Chaka, hoping to gain some understanding before they left, but the taller man just looked defensive again. He felt Sanji take his arm and pull him towards the front door, still blabbering away with Kaya's mother.

As they stepped over the threshold, Zoro was startled to see Chaka follow them and reach his hand out. Zoro took it on reflex, and as they shook the swordsman felt a small slip of paper pass into his palm. He kept his features straight and nodded to Chaka.

"Thank you for coming by," Chaka said, loud enough to be heard from the balcony. "It was nice to finally meet some of Kaya's friends."

Zoro released his hand and quickly put his own in his pocket. "Pleasure. See you around, I'm sure."

After many animated goodbyes from Sanji to Kaya's mother, and promises to come and cook and visit, the two were back in Sanji's car, with Sanji behind the wheel.

"Oh my God…" Sanji breathed. "That was intense."

Zoro looked at him as the blond grabbed at the cigarette from behind his ear and lit up.

"It was… and what the hell were you doing? You backed down! Practically gave the guy your consent!"

Sanji rolled down the window and blew a stream a smoke outside. He slipped the key in the ignition and started the engine.

"That guy loves Kaya," he said simply, "and if Kaya loves him, who are we to step in and try to break up something that could be really good for her?"

Zoro sat forward and snarled at Sanji, "What about Usopp!?"

Sanji grabbed Zoro's shoulder and pushed him back gently.

"If Kaya doesn't love Usopp anymore, what would be the point of trying to get them back together?" Sanji took a long drag and looked at Zoro evenly. "That wouldn't be fair to anyone."

"But…" Zoro didn't know what to say. "But Kaya…" Frustrated, the swordsman slumped back in his seat and stared out the window. He knew Sanji was right, but he couldn't just let it go that easily. "So what the hell do we do?"

"Well," Sanji's voice was teasing and Zoro could tell he was smiling. "You can let me see what Chaka slipped into your hand."

Zoro's eyes widened and he turned back to the blond. "How the hell-"

"Just lemme see it."

Zoro pulled the piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. Inside was an address and one word:

_Tomorrow_.

"What the hell?" Sanji made a face. "When tomorrow? Just whenever?"

Zoro shrugged. "I don't know. He seemed… really uncomfortable… but not like he was pissed at us or he wanted us gone… It was more like…"

"He needed to tell us something, but couldn't," Sanji finished.

"Yeah…"

Sanji nodded. "Hence my distraction… And the note proves it." The cook released the emergency break and shifted before pulling out of the circular driveway. The man at the gate waved as they drove off of the Merri property. "That was the hardest I've ever had to try to be interested in a girl in my entire life. All I wanted to do was watch you and the Pharaoh make scary eyes at each other."

Zoro chuckled at Sanji's nickname, the guy had looked like he belonged in the movie _Stargate_- one of those temple warriors with the jackal headdresses.

"He was dead set on making sure I noticed the woman on the balcony. I'm pretty sure she's his mom."

"Yeah, I think so too," Sanji said, flicking ash out the window. "She was like uber-wicked step-mother, witch lady- straight out of _The Thirteenth Warrior_."

"The witch in that was way younger and probably hot if she just took a bath… cut the dreadlocks off."

"No, no, I was thinking of the older one they brought the idol to, and she was all _'Kill the mother'_ and creepy shit."

"Oh yeah… Yeah, come to think of it…" Zoro chuckled again and shook his head.

Sanji made a face. "You don't like dreadlocks?"

"Hell no," Zoro waved a hand, "I had a girlfriend with dreads once, they smelled when you got up close. It was too bad, 'cause they looked real cool. She'd put beads on 'em sometimes, and she dyed a couple green."

Sanji laughed and Zoro grinned out the window. "Why are we talking about this?"

"I was curious because you said Amy Winehouse was too dirty for you, and yet you dated a chick with dreads. I bet she had tattoos and piercings she couldn't show her mom too, huh?"

Zoro's grin widened. "Maybe."

Sanji leaned back and let his hand rest out the window, the cherry of his cigarette burned brighter in the wind. "So you're either inconsistent, or you have no idea what you like."

"I know what I like." Zoro relaxed as well and watched the evergreens roll past. "I just got tired of the 'bad girl' image… grew out of it I guess. Started looking for someone I could show off to people… Someone my parents would have been happy to see me with…"

Zoro felt Sanji looking at him. He knew what the cook wanted to ask, but let him build up the courage and ask it himself.

"What happened to your parents?"

Zoro continued to look out the window. "I never knew my mom, she died when I was little. My dad…" He sighed, slightly weirded out at having this conversation with Sanji again. "My dad was around, but not. My uncle raised me. He was the one who taught me kenjutsu. He knew I needed something to occupy my time and energy because I was the textbook formula for upcoming delinquent: mom dead, dad never around, so no parental figures to keep me from doing stupid shit."

Zoro was silent for several minutes. He heard the click of Sanji's lighter and ached to reach out and catch the cook's hand as he recounted his past. "My dad was in an accident when I was in high school and died on the operating table… I wasn't even sad when my uncle told me… I just thought it was kind of a relief. I wouldn't have to be angry at him for not being around anymore…"

Sanji let out a slow breath and Zoro turned to look at the cook's thoughtful face.

"So much the same…" the blond whispered.

Zoro turned back to the window and watched as the trees gave way to buildings and small shops. So engrossed in his thoughts, he missed the look Sanji gave his hand. The swordsman had no idea, but at that moment, the cook wanted to hold him just as much as he wanted to be held.

The two rode in silence for a while, both thinking of past lives and family long gone. As they were crossing the bridge over the Sound, Sanji glanced towards the waterfront.

"You have to work tonight, don't you?"

Zoro nodded. "I was thinking of calling Ace though. He's been combining our classes the last few weeks, so it wouldn't be any extra skin off his nose if he took my kids again. I really don't want to go to work tonight."

"You sure?"

Zoro nodded.

"Okay," Sanji said, glancing at the waterfront. "You wanna get an early dinner then? I was hoping to stop by the Baratie sometime today before we went home."

A knot formed in Zoro's stomach and he suddenly felt nauseous. He hadn't forgotten what was in store for him that evening, but he had been caught up in the now, being with Sanji and trying to solve the puzzle together. His chest tightened and he closed his eyes. He wasn't even the slightest bit hungry, but he 

knew going to the restaurant would prolong the day and in turn, prolong the events which would take place that night.

"Yeah," Zoro said softly. "That sounds good. They're all probably dying to see you."

Sanji smiled at him and took the next exit.

X x X x X

As Zoro stood in the alley behind the restaurant, full of the steak and scalloped potatoes Sanji had prepared, he pressed the 'send' button on his cell phone. Ace's call waiting played a clip from Cake's _Going The Distance_, and the swordsman leaned against the cool bricks of the Baratie's wall. Zoro watched twin sunsets start to sink behind the mountains, one in the sky, and one upside down on the surface of the water. The reds and oranges mingled and slowly turned purple as more and more of the light disappeared. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair and he breathed in the salty smell.

"Hey, what's up, Zoro?" Ace's voice came through the phone suddenly.

"Hey, Ace," Zoro said quietly. "Would you be willing to take my kids tonight? I promise I'll come in next week, I won't do this to you anymore, just… just this last time."

"Of course, man," Ace chuckled. "It's not a problem. What's a few more kids?"

"Thanks…" Zoro closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall.

Ace said something muffled and Zoro heard a door shut. Everything was suddenly quieter and when Ace spoke again, Zoro found he could hear him a lot more clearly.

"Okay," the older man said, "I'm outside now. What else is going on? You sound like hell."

Zoro shifted, looking down, and drew invisible patterns on the pavement with the toe of his shoe.

"Zoro?"

"Um…" Zoro said, his voice shaky. "Can I stay at your place tonight?"

"What?" Ace yelped, "Why? What the hell'd you do now!?"

Zoro squeezed his eyes shut and moved to sit on a nearby crate. He ran his free hand through his hair and rested his forehead in his palm. His head was pounding and his eyes were starting to burn. _But he wasn't crying… he never cried… it was just tension from the day… fatigue…_

"I kissed him…" Zoro choked out.

Ace didn't respond right away so Zoro thought he had lost connection. But then the man on the other end started to sputter and words finally came.

"But, wait," Ace said, "That's bad? What the hell are you saying, Zoro? Isn't kissing him a good thing? I don't understand!"

Zoro took a few calming breaths and willed the moisture in his eyes away. No matter how he said this it was going to sound bad.

"He was mad at me," Zoro murmured, "He was telling me off and I couldn't help it. He was so close to me and pissed off and talking to me exactly like he used to. I was watching him and thinking how alive he was and how bright and just…" Zoro closed his eyes and finished in a whisper.

"Shit, Ace… he was so beautiful and I couldn't… couldn't stop myself…"

Ace took a moment to let Zoro's words sink in before he sighed softly. "What did he do?"

Zoro took another deep breath to make sure his lungs were still working. The tightness was starting to work its way down to his stomach. The swordsman knew that any moment his insides were all going to snap from the tension.

"He was good about it… he didn't freak out or try to kill me."

"But what _did_ he do?"

Zoro slowly leaned back and looked up at the sky. His eyes were dry again, but now he felt even worse than before. Like everything was just sitting in his gut waiting to rip him apart from the inside. Maybe it would help if he cried about it… but then again, it might just make it worse.

"He said we'll talk tonight, about everything… after we saw Usopp and tried to fix that whole problem."

"Chopper looked good today," Ace added. "He came over before his shift to drop off some stuff. He was almost back to his normal self. So… at least there's that."

No, nothing was ever solved by crying…

Zoro nodded before he realized Ace couldn't see him. "Yeah, at least there's that."

Fuck crying.

Ace was talking to him again, but Zoro missed the first part. He blinked and sat up straight.

"Sorry, Ace, what did you just say? I was spacing."

"I said you can stay here tonight," Ace said again. "I'll tell Vivi so she'll be expecting you."

"Thanks man," Zoro whispered.

"No problem, Zoro. You take care okay? I'll see you later."

"Later."

Zoro closed his phone and sat looking at the water. The sun was a sliver above the mountains now, and the sky was bruised purple and blue. Stars were making their entrance and Zoro felt silly when the urge to wish came over him.

The swordsman suddenly felt small and helpless underneath that sky. A mere spec in the infinite space of… everything. Zoro wasn't lyrical or well spoken on a daily basis; he had never written poetry or lyrics to a song. But something about that starry sky made the man wish that he had a better grasp on language. On words. He wanted the ability to express the feeling he was suddenly faced with; the feeling of his past pressing down on him, watching him as he watched the heavens.

Scared of something he couldn't name, and uncomfortable with where his line of thinking was going, Zoro stood and moved towards the kitchen door. At the last moment he stopped and stood just before the threshold, breathing slightly uneven and his skin prickling.

Turning once more to the sky, Zoro whispered so softly that even someone standing right beside him would had to have strained to listen.

"If… just… if you're out there… please help me get through this tonight…"

Another soft breeze tickled the back of his neck and Zoro retreated into the restaurant. He told himself the wind smelled the same as it always had: salty and fresh.

It did not, and never did smell anything like steel and the unmistakably feminine scent of a certain swordsman he had once known…

X x X x X

Sanji wasn't in the kitchen. Zoro stood puzzled for a few seconds before he slipped his head through the double doors leading to the dining room. He didn't see the blond there either. The swordsman turned to a young girl standing at the prep table slicing carrots into thin strips.

"Where's Sanji?" He asked.

The girl looked up and smiled, her pretty face lighting up as she pointed to the back stairs.

"He went to the second floor," she said. "He wanted to see his old room."

Zoro nodded and mumbled a quick thank you before he headed for the stairs. The second floor of the Baratie had been Sanji's home for most of his life. The hallways were rounded and the doors sported portholes to give the place the feel of a ship. Zeff, Sanji's foster father, had been a sailor for many years before losing his leg in a rigging accident. Unable to do whatever it was he had been doing on the sea anymore, Zeff had come home and started this restaurant when Sanji was little.

Standing outside Sanji's room, Zoro ran a hand over his face and through his hair. He knocked twice before pushing the door open and looking inside. The room was small, made to resemble a cabin on an old-fashioned barque or frigate, with a simple cot having drawers built into the bottom, a table with a small stool, and a large window looking out over the water. Sanji's 'cabin' was decorated with pictures: Sanji in high school with Nami on his arm, or getting tackled by Luffy, Chopper and Usopp hugging him from both sides, Sanji looking slightly drunk with Ace's arm around his neck. There were hundreds of pictures of friends and acquired family, dances, graduation, college games, and parties.

Zoro wanted a moment to glance around the room, take in all the memories that hung from the walls, that were tacked to the corkboard and propped up by the window, but he was startled by a quiet sniff from the corner of the room. The swordsman stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The smell of smoke and spiced meat assaulted his senses and he leaned in to peek around the closet.

Sanji sat on the floor, one leg straight and the other drawn up to his chest. His arm rested on his bent knee and his cigarette hung from between his lax fingers. The blond looked up at him from beneath his long bangs and Zoro was startled to see the blue eyes rimmed with red.

"Sanji?" Zoro whispered.

Sanji brought the cigarette to his mouth and left it to hang between his lips. Straightening both his legs, the cook sighed softly and folded his hands in his lap.

"I'm all right, Zoro," he said softly.

Zoro came inside a little farther and leaned on the closet door. "Then why are you… I mean, what are you doing, sitting… here…?"

Sanji slowly looked around the small space and sucked on his cigarette. He plucked it from his lips and crushed it out in an ashtray beside his hip.

"It's like…" Sanji began with a waver in his voice. "It's like… I died…"

Zoro's heart clenched so hard he felt light-headed. So many times in the last week he had thought the exact same thing. His Sanji- the old Sanji- was dead and he was never coming back to him. He had been so engrossed in his own despair that he hadn't taken the time to remember that Sanji had to deal with his new self too. For the first time since Sanji's awakening, Zoro felt a little ashamed of himself.

"My life here… ended two years ago," Sanji continued. "I can't remember the new one… but it's still mine. It's who I am now and I have to deal with it… I'm just… mourning the loss, I guess."

Zoro looked away and turned towards the window. He prayed that this wasn't the beginning of Sanji telling him there was nothing between them. He couldn't handle being tossed aside, however gently, in this place. He needed his bike so he could get to Ace's. He couldn't get to Ace's from here, he didn't know the way. He needed his couch, his dojo, something to ground him as Sanji ripped his heart out. He needed to have his own things surrounding him, not pictures that reminded Sanji of everything Zoro had taken away from him. He needed his corner windows, he needed his bed, he needed… he needed…

Then, with a sharp pain to his gut, Zoro realized he really didn't _need_ anything. It didn't matter what he was surrounded with, or where he was. He just didn't want Sanji to leave him.

"Oh," Sanji said behind him. "I found this. Look."

Zoro turned and saw Sanji holding up a photo. He crossed the small space and took the picture from the cook's hand. Turning it over, he almost laughed out loud at what he saw.

"I thought you never went to parties," Sanji chuckled softly.

The picture was old, the end of their sophomore year in high school. Ace and Sanji were seated on a couch holding shot glasses in their hands, saluting the camera. Nami was sprawled out across them in nothing more than a pair of boxers and a bra. Zoro's heart sped up as he realized the third figure sitting on the couch was himself. Nami had her head in his lap and he was glaring down at her even as she grinned evilly up at him.

"Holy shit…" Zoro breathed. "This is Ace's graduation party. I'd lost a bet with Nami and my payment was to show up and stay for two hours."

"I know," Sanji said. "I remember you…"

Zoro looked up startled. Sanji was staring straight ahead and the swordsman saw the unmistakable shine of tear tracks as they made their way down his cheek to drip from his chin.

"You… remember me?" Zoro's heart pounded against his ribs.

Sanji nodded. "Ace told me his friend was coming and he made everyone promise to be nice to you 'cause you were shy. I even made onigri for you because he said you liked it."

Zoro stared at Sanji, blinking like an idiot because at that moment, he really didn't know what else to do.

"You did…" he said finally. "I remember… I asked who made them and Vivi told me, but you were so popular. I never managed… I never thanked you."

Sanji laughed and wiped at his eyes. "You liked them though, right?"

Zoro smiled and nodded. "Yeah, of course I did."

Sanji nodded and made another pass over his eyes with his palm. "I can't believe I remember you… after all this searching and fishing in my head for _something_… I finally…" Sanji made a noise and Zoro wasn't sure if it was a laugh or a sob. "I remember you…"

Zoro wasn't sure he could handle any more of this conversation. His heart was about to break into a thousand pieces and he was clenching his jaw so hard to keep himself from crying, his head was spinning out of control. He knew it was time to stop running from something he couldn't change, even if it was going to mean the defined end of his relationship with Sanji.

He reached his hand out to his friend and said softly, "Let's go home, shit-cook."

**TBC**


	16. Chapter 16

I've been slacking on my 'thank you's lately so here are some from last chapter's reviews! xD

**Shironami**- Looking so, so forward to your human!Chopper fanart! **Damokonachik**- Thank you so much! Your review made my day! I send my love TO France! xD **WhiteTigress666**- Thank you very much, and yes, my family is doing fine. **The Wandering Swordsman**- Sanji didn't really remember anything new, like something during the missing year, he remembered Zoro from before. The Zoro from high school. Thank you for the review! I'm glad you like the story so much! xD **Hound Keeper**- Aw, thanks. You're sweet! **Suicidal Skies**- Thank you! And they are heading somewhere, hehe. Just read this chapter! xD **Te Inu Fighter**- Lol, glad you liked the Amy joke xD **I-wanna-go-to-a-place**- Feel free to ask away anytime if this chapter doesn't answer any of your questions. About your timeline question though: Sanji and Zoro met for the first time at the end of their sophomore year in high school, (that's when Ace graduated, he was two years ahead). Then they didn't see each other until almost four years later, after Sanji had gone to school in France, and Zoro had been training in Japan. They hated each other for about a year and then dated for a year and then Sanji was in a coma for a year. I have Sanji and Zoro about 25 years old… roughly. I hope that clears things up a little. xD **Ezj**- I'm so glad you understand the importance of the cliffy! Makes the outcome that much better! I love putting you guys in suspense! xDDDDD **Snowcleo**- Your favorite? Wow, thank you! XDD **MmeRoronoa**- Lols, you always make me laugh! As for ShaolinQueen, Annalin, Cowgirl13, oskalaboska, mini-kero, quivering quill, Kakashilover890, SilverWing147, animeXIII, Crazy-Marimo, hehe82, and kamiam714: THANK YOU SO MUCH! xDDD

Oh, and there is some fabulous fanart done for this story by adayume on LJ. You can find it here:

adayume(dot)livejournal(dot)com/71290.html (Just change the (dot)'s to actual periods and you're good! xD)

And now, off to the chapter! xD

**Chapter 16**

Sanji and Zoro sat in silence for the ride back to their apartment. Sanji didn't know how the quiet was affecting the other man, but he was sure as hell feeling the tension. His mouth had been a little dry and his stomach had been unsettled since they had left Kaya's house. He was surprised he could still breathe his chest was so tight. How the hell was he going to do this? He had gone through what he was going to say to Zoro over and over, but nothing sounded right. He had milled it over in his head so many times, anything he could come up with sounded cheesy and insincere. He had retreated to his room at the Baratie to calm himself and think, but when he had found the old picture of him and Zoro at Ace's graduation party, he hadn't been able to hold onto the reins of his anxiety anymore and he had snapped.

He had remembered meeting Zoro for the first time, glancing at his green hair and earrings, taking in his bad boy style of clothing and liking his rough attitude. He had seemed so cool and confident that Sanji had doubted Ace's account of him being shy.

Now, he sat in the passenger's seat because he was too tense to drive. His heart was pounding in his ears and he was sure his eyes were still slightly red and puffy. He felt a little foolish about the whole thing. Being found whimpering and hiding in a corner no doubt had brought him down a few notches in Zoro's eyes. The Sanji that Zoro knew probably would have laughed at him for being so weak. It was really fucking pitiful.

He wanted Zoro to say something, anything to break the silence, but Sanji knew the swordsman wouldn't. He was just as calm and cool as ever. Fucker. How was he so poised though all of this? How did he stay together so well? He was like this impenetrable mountain, immovable and unshakeable. His stoicism was borderline apathetic, like he didn't really care all that much about the things that were tearing Sanji apart.

Sanji almost dropped the cigarette out the window as a sudden clarity came over him and a tightening pulled at his heart.

What if Zoro was being indifferent because… he really _didn't_ care that much? Was that possible? He had seemed pretty upset about the whole thing in the beginning, but it _had_ been a year. Maybe Zoro was getting over him while Sanji took too long to sort through his feelings?

_Oh fuck_… Sanji's stomach did a flip-flop, _Am I too late?_

There had been that kiss in the kitchen that morning, but that could have just been Zoro's sexual frustration shining through. If Zoro had stayed faithful, and he seemed like the kind of guy who was, that would mean he would have been celibate for over a year. The guy no doubt was hard up, and seeing Sanji all the time and… oh god… the fight. The fight and the railing, and the _pressing up against each other… Shit…_

Sanji really did drop his cigarette out the window this time. He tucked his hands underneath his arms and turned his head so Zoro couldn't see all the emotions he was feeling playing out on his face. He breathed out slowly as the sharp claws of embarrassment clawed at his gut. He was so stupid! Here he was taking his sweet-ass time trying to come to a decision he really had come to days ago, while Zoro had been waiting quietly, saying nothing, but no doubt aggravated as hell inside. Sanji had come at this problem thinking he had all the time in the world to sort it out because Zoro was in love with him and would wait for as long as it took. But, _oh God_… what if he had been wrong?

Sanji's face heated as he felt shame wash over him in waves. He had been ridiculously naïve and selfish. It was a wonder Zoro hadn't bashed his head into a wall and told him to pull it together. Who the hell did Sanji think he was? Had he really lost that much of his intuitiveness? How had he not seen this before? Holy _fuck_ this was such a _fucking_ mess!

Sanji turned his head to stare at Zoro's knee. He couldn't look at his friend's face, afraid of what he would see when he gazed into the swordsman's eyes with unclouded vision.

"Zoro…" Sanji started softly, trying to speak through his mortification, "I'm… really sorry a-"

Zoro made a choking sound and it startled Sanji into silence.

"Please…" Zoro cleared his throat and said very quietly, "Not now. We're only a few minutes away from the apartment."

Sanji blinked up at the other man, confused, and wondering why Zoro was suddenly so defensive. But he nodded slowly and sunk back into the seat.

"All right…" he whispered.

Zoro parked the car and wasted no time getting through the lobby and into the elevator. Sanji followed close behind him, but had trouble not dragging his feet. As he watched the elevator numbers rise, Sanji stole a quick glance at Zoro in the mirror. He seemed to be so lost in thought that the cook didn't even try to speak to him. They rode the rest of the way in that thick silence and slipped quietly into the apartment together. Zoro moved directly towards the kitchen, but Sanji stayed in the entryway.

"Um," Sanji stammered and rubbed his chin nervously, "I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick."

Zoro stopped and put a hand on the counter, as if he needed something to steady himself. He turned his head, but Sanji couldn't see his face in the darkness.

"Okay…" he said softly. "Take whatever time you need… I'll wait for you…"

Sanji stood frozen. There was that gentle Zoro again, the one that visited him in the hospital. The Zoro that took care of him after he got caught outside in the rain, the Zoro that teased him when they went shopping and told him over and over that the accident and all this was not his fault. _Shit! Shit! SHIT!_ Sanji didn't know what to think and nearly stumbled over himself to escape.

"I'll… just be a minute," he stammered. "I just… need… need to wash up. I still smell like… oregano and… uh, onions…" Zoro nodded again and Sanji fled into the bathroom.

Zoro watched him go, but didn't move until he heard the bathroom door shut. He slowly turned to survey the dark kitchen and run his hand over the countertop. He let the smooth finish of the blue and grey marble slide beneath his palm. He took a few steps around the prep island and moved into the dining room. He straightened the chairs around the table and turned to stand at the edge of the baby dojo. He couldn't see the patterns in the wood with the lights off, but he knew every one of them by heart. Hours of meditating or sparring with Sanji had taken place on this floor. Hundreds of card games with Ace and the others, dozens of parties were thrown for birthdays or promotions, and countless nights of lovemaking had filled the space in this room. It seemed so strange that a place so often brimming with life and love could be so ominous, so empty and cold.

Zoro moved across the floor, his steps silent as he made his way towards the windows. To the first place Zoro and made love to Sanji after moving in together, starting their life together. He put his hands in his pockets as he stepped up to the glass and watched the first droplets of rain hit the window pane with soft pattering noises.

Zoro knew he was breaking apart. He knew the calm he was feeling inside at that moment was the calm before the storm. The swordsman knew that any second, his resolve was going to crack and everything he had been holding in for the past few weeks was going to come bleeding out.

He just hoped Sanji wasn't going to hate him for being so weak.

In the bathroom, Sanji threw his jacket on the counter and rolled up his sleeves. He splashed cold water on his face and rested his forearms on the edge of the sink. He sighed softly and tried to will the nausea boiling in his gut to subside. Whatever he was going to say, he was going to have to say it as soon as he went back out into the dining room. He tried to ground himself by reminding his racing heart that Zoro was probably just waiting for a decision from him so he could get on with his life. Zoro couldn't be babysitting him forever, so whatever Sanji managed to say would come as some kind of relief for the swordsman.

Sanji shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. _You don't want that_, his heart told him. _You want Zoro to take you in his arms and hold you. You want Zoro to kiss you until he loses the haunted look in his eyes. You want to see him smile and hear him tell you that he lov-_

Sanji abruptly straightened and stared at himself in the mirror. He watched tiny droplets of water drip from his hair onto the countertop, others trailing down his neck and darken the collar of his shirt. His eyes were no longer red, but there were dark pockets hanging directly above his cheekbones. He looked terrible.

Taking a comb from the cabinet, he started to put his hair back where it belonged. He pulled the teeth through the soft strands roughly, thinking to himself how ridiculous he was acting.

"You're Sanji Fucking Black," he said aloud. "You're not a pussy that cries and hides in the bathroom. You don't hide from anyone." _You're gonna go out there and tell Zoro how you feel, and you're gonna look good while you're doing it. If he doesn't want you, fine. You'll move on._

He kicked off his shoes and toed off his socks as he brushed his teeth. He flexed and pointed his feet before cracking all of his toes against the floor, the joints making loud popping sounds that echoed in the spacious bathroom. When he finished, he straightened his shirt and put his hands on his hips. His reflection stared back at him from the mirror, groomed and looking like he was back in control. The darkness underneath his eyes was still there, but nothing short of makeup was going to fix it, and that was just too disturbing to think about.

He took two deep breaths and opened the bathroom door. He turned off the light and moved into the hallway, his footsteps silent on the wooden floors.

Sanji frowned when he found the lights were all still off. Darkness filled the kitchen and dining room. The cook peered into the living room, thinking maybe Zoro had gone straight to the couch, but he didn't see the swordsman anywhere. He stepped through the kitchen, running his palm over the marble counter top to keep him steady as his eyes adjusted. Finally, moving into the dining room, he saw Zoro standing before the corner windows, silhouetted by the faint glow from the city. Rain drummed on the glass as Zoro rested against it. His arm was raised, his head rested on his forearm. His body was relaxed and his breathing was even; there was no tension whatsoever in his posture.

Sanji's hands shook and he absently searched for his cigarettes, but then realized he had left them in the bathroom in his jacket pocket. He cursed silently and folded his arms over his chest.

This was it. This was the moment where everything that defined Sanji's life would be decided. During Sanji's missing year, Zoro had become an intricate part of the cook's world. Nothing had been left untouched. Everywhere Sanji looked, everything he felt, smelled, heard- hell, the air that Sanji _breathed_ was saturated in the swordsman's presence. The threads of their lives had been woven together so elaborately, that Sanji knew the solution was either to pick up where the weaving had left off, or let it all go and start somewhere else. Start anew with something completely different.

"Zoro?" Sanji said quietly, moving into the 'dojo'.

Zoro's shoulders seemed to sag even more as the swordsman sighed and turned to rest his hip against the glass.

"Yeah…"

Sanji's voice caught and he covered it with a small cough. He noticed he had begun to wring his hands, so he shoved them into his jeans pockets, unsure when his arms had freed themselves from his chest. The cook knew for a fact that he had never been more scared in his entire life, but he pushed his fear aside to make room for his determination.

_Okay… just go…_

"Zoro…" Sanji said, his voice wavering only slightly. "I don't…" He cleared his throat once more. "I don't know how to say this-"

"Then don't…" Zoro cut in softly.

Sanji froze once again. He felt as if his blood had turned to ice, his body, his breathing, his thinking- everything shut down all at the same time. Don't say… don't say what?

"What?" he asked aloud.

Zoro dropped his arm and slipped his hands into his pockets. The cook noticed the swordsman was still fully dressed in his shoes and jacket and started to panic. What did that mean? He wasn't planning on staying? He didn't care what Sanji had to say?

"I don't want to do this," Zoro whispered. The larger man had stepped back from the window, but still kept his back to the blond.

Sanji felt his composure slipping. "What the hell do you mean, Zoro?"

The swordsman finally turned his head to glance at the cook, but Sanji couldn't make out his features in the darkness. "I meant exactly what I said: I don't. Want. To do this."

Sanji's nervousness and fear shifted as anger started to rise in his gut. He clenched his hands into fists inside his pockets and ground his teeth together in the absence of a cigarette.

"What the fuck, Zoro?" Sanji growled quietly. "I've been killing myself all day trying to think of how to tell you stuff, and now you're going to just blow me off? I have stuff I have to tell you, and if I don't say it now-"

"But I don't want to hear it," Zoro turned fully towards Sanji then. His body still silhouetted, his face hidden in shadow. His body was completely lax, composed as the larger man always was. Sanji knew that if he could have seen the swordsman's face, it would have been passive- like he didn't have a fucking care in the world.

Sanji bared his teeth and pulled his hands from his pockets. "You _asshole_!" He hissed.

The cook lunged forward and stepped fluidly into a roundhouse kick. His heel connected solidly with Zoro's jaw, and Sanji had an instant to wonder why the swordsman hadn't managed to block the attack before Zoro fell to the ground. Then the swordsman reached out and pulled the cook's legs out from under him. Landing hard on his back, Sanji lashed out with his foot again and caught Zoro dead in the chest. The larger man grunted and rolled to his side, away from the cook, clutching at his middle and breathing hard in between coughs.

Sanji sat up and watched Zoro's back. He worried for a split second that he might have hurt the swordsman worse than he intended because Zoro curled in on himself and made no move to continue the fight.

But then the worry dissipated as he remembered Zoro's last words. He felt ashamed and embarrassed and Zoro's apathy fueled the rage inside Sanji as the cook got to his knees. He crawled over to the battered swordsman and shoved him hard on to his back, moving to sit across Zoro's hips. The cook grabbed the other's jacket collar and snarled into Zoro's still shadowed face.

"Why didn't you say something earlier, you son of a bitch?" The swordsman turned as far away as he could, but Sanji was relentless. In the back of his mind he still wondered why Zoro wasn't really fighting back, but his anger drove him forward.

"You could have saved us all a lot of trouble _if you had just said something_!"

Zoro's body remained limp and unmoving. He stared away from Sanji into the darkness of the dining room. His breathing was so shallow, Sanji could barely feel it beneath him.

The cook almost shattered. After all this! After all the tension and the heartache and the dancing around the subject and _worrying about hurting Zoro_, the fucking green-haired bastard was going to _ignore him_! The swordsman's show of cowardice sickened Sanji and he finally raised his voice to a shout.

"_Look at me when I'm fucking talking to you, damnit_! I can't _believe_ I ever thought I was…"

Sanji's words died in his throat when Zoro turned to face him. The light from the city outside the window shone brightly in the swordsman's watery eyes. Tears made their way down his smooth cheeks and dripped softly onto the wooden floors. Zoro's features were passive, but his eyes held such sadness that Sanji's anger fled. Something gripped the cook's heart and he found himself wanting to burst into tears himself at the sight before him.

"Zoro?" Sanji whispered. "What…"

"Just say it…" Zoro's voice was barely audible.

"Just say what?" Sanji asked as he loosened his hold on Zoro's collar.

Zoro closed his eyes and fresh tears slid from beneath his eyelid. He swallowed thickly and let out a soft breath.

"Just say you don't want me so I can go…"

Sanji blinked, unbelieving. "Go?" He asked.

The swordsman continued to speak in that broken voice. "Yeah… I know I said I would try and be friends. Try and… just be happy you were around…" Zoro paused to hold back a sob that threatened to escape from his chest. Sanji could feel it building until the larger man let out a couple of harsh breaths to calm himself.

"I can't do it, Sanji," he hissed. "I can't see you every day and not be with you. I can't stand being around you and not allowed… not able to hold you. I tried, _fuck, I tried so hard!_ But I can't do it… I can't… I can't…" Zoro's hand came over his eyes and he lost himself in silent sobs. His shoulders and chest shook with the force of them, but there was no sound in the room but Sanji's quiet breathing and the steady patter of rain on the glass beside them.

Sanji couldn't believe his ears. He sat staring, dumbfounded at the man crying softly below him. What had he said to make Zoro think he was ending everything? He hadn't done anything to indicate he was kicking Zoro out… He had even kissed him in the kitchen!

Comprehension and sharp clarity crashed into Sanji violently. Had he been standing, it would have buckled his knees and brought him to the ground. He sank forward and rested his forehead on Zoro's chest. The room was spinning out of control as the cook pieced everything together. Zoro hadn't been acting indifferent… Zoro had been acting _defeated_. What Sanji had taken for aloofness had actually been surrender!

Sanji raised his head and brought his thumb to Zoro's cheek. His heart broke along with the swordsman's as he tenderly wiped the tears from the other man's dark skin. Sanji whispered softly, his breath dancing across Zoro's neck.

"You idiot…"

Zoro's jaw was shut tightly, but it didn't stop his lower lip from trembling as Sanji's fingers caressed his skin. The cook moved to hover over the swordsman's mouth and said gently.

"Where is the Zoro that never gave up on me?"

The swordsman's eyes snapped open and Sanji felt the sharp intake of breath beneath him. He took the chance and pressed his mouth against Zoro's. The cook felt the other man gasp against his lips, but as Sanji's other hand found its way into green hair, Zoro slowly lifted his head off the floor to press back against him. The blond felt a strong hand gripping his thigh and released his hold on Zoro's jacket completely.

Instantly, the cook's back hit the wooden floor. The air was knocked out of his lungs and pain shot up his spine. Zoro was suddenly on top of him, pinning him down by his wrists and his legs straddling one of Sanji's thighs. The larger man brought his face close to Sanji's, his eyes boring into the blond's.

Zoro didn't know what to think. Maybe he was dreaming, that was really the only explanation. His heart had been in the palm of his hand! He had been in the process of handing it over to Sanji to rip it apart, when the fucking cook had thrown him for a loop! He had kissed him! He had fucking kissed him! What the fuck!? What. The. _Fuck!?_

Zoro's heart beat so frantically in his chest, it hurt. His ribs were no doubt about to break. There was no way his body could hold together with all the emotional turmoil he was experiencing right now. There was no way the human mind was capable of handling all of this without going completely mad.

The swordsman stared into the beautiful eyes of the man below him, the man that held his life in his hands. The one person in the whole world that could be Zoro's salvation or his complete destruction lay beneath him, panting softly, looking up at him with the reflection of the rain sending watery shadows down his face like tears.

"Sanji… what…" Zoro paused to swallow, not liking how weak he sounded.

"Sanji… if you're doing this out of pity… or if this is some sick way to get back at me for taking your old life away, I swear on my uncle's-"

"Kiss me, Zoro," Sanji whispered below him. The cook had his head tilted up and slightly to the side. His eyes were lidded and his mouth was parted slightly.

Zoro ached for him. He screamed for Sanji from the very core of his being. As he looked down at his lover, seeing him as he once was: disheveled, unearthly sexy, pinned beneath him and flushed from an earlier struggle, Zoro finally came apart completely and attacked those soft, willing –_willing_-- lips. He met Sanji's kiss with a fierceness born only to a starving man.

Sanji's lips parted and Zoro dove inside, groaning at the familiar taste he had been craving for longer than he thought he could last. Sanji had always been a fantastic kisser, but the need and the desperation that Zoro felt behind every movement the cook made, intensified their touch. He could feel his entire body trembling with the force of his desire for the other man. He slowly released Sanji's wrists and rested his hands on the ground. The blond's fingers were instantly back in his hair, pulling gently at the short strands and tilting Zoro's head to get a better angle on their kiss. When the swordsman felt the cook's free leg curling around his own, Zoro relaxed his body and pressed down onto the other's hips. He ground his thigh against Sanji's erection, earning a soft moan from the cook.

Thrilled at the sound, Zoro rolled his hips again and let one of his hands slide down Sanji's side. He gripped the blond's hip and used it as leverage to press the two of them even closer together. This time, Sanji broke the kiss to gasp against the swordsman's lips. The hold he had on Zoro's hair became tighter and the larger man growled appreciatively in response. Zoro moved to place hard, open-mouth kisses on Sanji's jaw and neck, leaving light marks on the cook's pale skin.

Sanji turned his head to give Zoro better access. He fumbled around until he found Zoro's collar again and slipped his hands beneath the leather. He started to push the jacket off the other's broad shoulders and almost whimpered when Zoro's mouth left him. Sanji heard the swordsman's jacket hit the wood floor, but had no idea where it had been thrown. He didn't really care either, because then Zoro was kissing him again. Dexterous fingers undid the buttons on his shirt with supersizing speed and gently un-tucked his under shirt. A warm, calloused palm trailed up the flesh of his chest, making him shiver and arch up against the touch. The cook reciprocated and tugged at the bottom of Zoro's pullover. The swordsman did him a favor, removing it and the under shirt together, exposing his scarred and muscular torso. Sanji found himself wishing that there was more light in the dojo; the faint glow from the window wasn't sufficient to see the man above him. So he made do with running his hands over as much of the dark skin as he could, mapping out Zoro's body by touch.

Zoro shuddered hard as Sanji's hands ran over his scar. He bit back a moan as the cook brushed his fingers over one of his nipples. He had been so long without intimate touch that he was hyper sensitive to everything Sanji was doing. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it was going to be like when Sanji ran his tongue over these sensitive parts; what it was going to be like when Sanji touched his bare thighs, his ass, his cock. The thought made him groan softly and he settled down on his elbow so he could feel the skin of Sanji's toned stomach against his own.

The cold and hard press of the wood floor reminded Zoro where they were and he sat up abruptly. Sanji made a whimpering sound as he looked up at the swordsman with a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" The cook panted.

"Nothing's wrong," Zoro said, a little shakily.

He stood and reached out his hand to help Sanji up. The blond complied and Zoro started to pull the other man through the living room towards the hall.

"I'm just not going to make love to you for the first time in a year on the hard floor."

Sanji fought against his knees buckling as he was pulled through the hallway towards the bedroom. Unbidden, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at Zoro's words. '_Make love to you…'_ He felt a little childish at his reaction, but he couldn't remember ever having made love before. Sure, he had had some fantastic nights with beautiful women in his time, but he had come into each of those knowing when morning came, he was gone… or she was gone… wherever the night had happened to take place, and that would be that. As much as he had claimed to be a lover of women, there really had been no room for actual 'love'. Sanji felt the first pangs of nervousness creep into his stomach and he hoped that he wouldn't disappoint Zoro with his—well, technically-- inexperience.

Zoro pulled him through the door and, without letting go of the cook's hand, turned to walk backwards into the room. Sanji saw the other watching his face carefully in the glow from the window. It was surprisingly brighter in the bedroom than in the dojo. Light from the moon and the streetlamps shone directly inside, and Sanji was pleased to find that he could see every bit of Zoro clearly. When the swordsman stopped, Sanji took the opportunity to look over the other. He let his eyes wander to the impressive scar stretching the length of the other man's chest and he reached out his hand to trace the gnarled flesh from tip to tip. He heard Zoro's breath catch and startled as the swordsman caught his hand. Sanji watched as Zoro slowly brought his hand to his mouth and kiss his palm, the touch sending peasant shivers down the cook's spine.

Sanji met Zoro's eyes and was enchanted by the look the swordsman was giving him. He had never before felt so precious and he couldn't stop himself from smiling softly. Zoro smiled back and slowly leaned forward in invitation. The cook met the other man's lips, letting the larger man place his arms around his tanned neck. Zoro's hands moved down Sanji's sides to caress his lower back and hips, and the blond whispered into the kiss.

"You like my hips…"

Zoro pulled away slightly and dusted Sanji's cheeks with feather light kisses. "I do…"

Sanji closed his eyes and pressed himself closer; enjoying the feel of Zoro's scarred flesh against his chest.

"Why?"

Zoro's grip became firmer and he lowered his face to nuzzle Sanji's neck.

"It's where all your power hinges," Zoro murmured, "I like being able to hold onto the center of your strength. When I put my hands here, I can read your movements and anticipate… move with you…"

Sanji sighed as Zoro nibbled on his skin. "Note to self: Don't let Zoro get a hold of your hips while sparring."

Zoro chuckled and pulled Sanji's hips against his. The cook gasped as the unmistakable bulge in Zoro's pants rubbed against his own hardness. It was a strange feeling, and Sanji froze, suddenly unsure. The swordsman must have felt the change because he lessened his grip and brought his lips to Sanji's ear.

"It's okay, Sanji…" he soothed in his deep baritone. "It's okay…"

Sanji let out a breath, holding on to Zoro tightly, but refusing to move.

"I know," Sanji whispered. "It's just… weird."

"Turn around," Zoro said.

"Why?" Sanji murmured.

"Just trust me." Zoro kissed his temple.

Sanji slowly complied and turned to face the window. He felt Zoro's breath on the back of his neck and shivered lightly. He stood still as Zoro pulled his shirt from his shoulders and slipped his hands beneath his undershirt.

"Raise your arms," Zoro whispered.

Sanji did, and the swordsman pulled the shirt off. The cook waited patiently until he felt Zoro's fingers slide around his waist and dip into the front of his jeans. Sanji gasped as his heart started to race. He reached down and stopped the other's hands with his own.

"Wait! Wait!" Sanji cried, "I don't know… I mean, I don't… Zoro, I-"

"You're still stressing about me being a guy," Zoro whispered as he kissed Sanji's neck. "Don't… I know better than a woman how to touch you. A woman doesn't know what it feels like, so she has to guess… I don't have to guess…"

Sanji's heart still pounded hard in his chest, but he had to admit that what Zoro said made sense. The cook lessened his hold slightly as Zoro moved his hands up his chest. The larger man trailed his fingers over Sanji's muscled abs, flattened his palms over his pale chest and flicked his nipples lightly with a calloused thumb. Sanji relaxed more as Zoro kissed his neck and softly bit into the flesh of his shoulder. The blond's eyes fell closed and he let himself drift in the sensation of Zoro's touch.

Zoro's hands moved lower once again, but Sanji didn't protest. His button and zipper were undone before he could think twice about it, and he hissed as the swordsman slipped his hands inside his jeans and underneath his boxers. The first soft touches of Zoro's fingers on his cock were like fire. Sanji pushed back against the swordsman and let out a soft whimper. Zoro pushed his jeans down low on his hips and pulled Sanji's member out, immediately stroking the cook to hardness with graceful and precise movements.

Sanji let his head fall back onto Zoro's shoulder. He gripped the other man's moving wrist, but this time it was more for support than trying to make him stop. He closed his eyes and whispered breathlessly into the swordsman's ear.

"Oh my God…"

Zoro bit into Sanji's neck and pressed his hips against the blond's slim frame. His own arousal dug into the cleft of Sanji's ass and the swordsman felt dizzy when Sanji whimpered at the contact. He felt Sanji's lips against his jaw and knew he wasn't going to be able to hold it together for much longer. He released Sanji's erection and immediately silenced the cook's protest with his other hand. He bit Sanji's ear and growled low in his throat.

"Don't move."

Sanji nodded and Zoro released the panting cook. He slipped his thumbs underneath the top of the blond's jeans and pulled the fabric down over the other's thighs. He kissed up Sanji's back and guided the blond to step out of his pants. Zoro then moved back and unbuttoned his own pants. He kicked off his shoes and removed his clothes, piling his jeans, boxers and socks by the bed. Returning to Sanji's naked form, Zoro took a hold of the cook's hips again and breathed along Sanji's exposed jaw.

Sanji felt the warmth of Zoro's skin even before the swordsman touched him. The hot flesh of Zoro's erection pressed against his ass, and the cook bit his lip to keep from crying out. The need he felt rolling off Zoro's body infected him and he arched back against the other man's chest. His hands reached up to find Zoro's hair and pulled hard, eliciting another growl from the larger man. The swordsman turned him roughly and then silenced whatever the blond was about to say with a rough kiss. Sanji didn't have much time to respond before Zoro pushed him back to sit on the bed. The swordsman dropped to his knees between Sanji's legs and kissed down the pale chest.

"Woa, wait," Sanji breathed heavily, "Zoro, you don't have to-"

Zoro ignored him and placed a long lick up the underside of Sanji's cock before taking him in his mouth.

Sanji couldn't stop himself this time and he cried out. His fist found its way back into Zoro's hair and the other went to the back of the swordsman's neck. His breath started coming in short gasps and he slouched so he could watch Zoro's lips move over him. He no longer gave a shit that Zoro was a guy, he just wanted to watch what that talented mouth was doing.

"Oh shit…"

Zoro pumped Sanji with his hand as he gently sucked on the cook's tip, his large and calloused palm causing an incredible sensation on Sanji's sensitive skin. Gradually, the swordsman's mouth worked up and down Sanji's shaft. Sanji grunted and tightened his grip. Zoro moved at the perfect speed, kept the perfect amount of pressure with his hand, and knew exactly how hard to suck.

"Oh fuck… shit, Zoro you know how to suck cock… _fuck_…"

He felt Zoro smile and Sanji almost screamed as the swordsman deep throated him and swallowed. He let his head fall back as he felt his orgasm building. Zoro's throat clenched around him over and over, and the swordsman's skilled fingers teased his sack until Sanji couldn't hold it anymore. He tried to warn Zoro off him, but the green-haired man stayed and sucked him hard as he came. Sanji's head spun as he spurted thickly into Zoro's mouth, the larger man swallowing easily around him.

Sanji panted heavily as his head fell forward. He met Zoro's eyes as the swordsman came off him and wiped the corners of his mouth with the back of his palm. Sanji released the other man's hair and gripped the blanket to steady himself.

Zoro looked up at him with an unreadable expression. "You okay?"

Sanji closed his eyes. "Well, considering I just received the best head of my life… I would say yes."

Zoro's smiled wickedly. "Well, next time maybe you'll last a little longer and I can show you what I can really do."

Sanji made a face. "Shut up, asshole, it's been two years. Cut me some slack."

"Actually, it's been one." Zoro grinned.

"Whatever."

Zoro chuckled and kissed Sanji softly on the neck. He held on to the blond's hips and smoothed circles into the soft skin. His own member throbbed relentlessly but he knew Sanji needed a few minutes before Zoro started anything else. The cook had taken a huge step and Zoro didn't want to press the cook too far too fast.

Sure enough, when Sanji's breathing had slowed and Zoro felt his pulse ease from beneath his lips, the cook's body tensed and his hands went to Zoro's elbows.

"What…" Sanji said quietly, "What happens now?"

Zoro pulled away and sat back on his heels. He took Sanji's hands in his own and kissed the scarred knuckles.

"Nothing that you don't want," he said sincerely, "I'll stop now if you want me to. But if you decide to go on, I promise I'll go slow."

Sanji looked at Zoro evenly and felt the nervousness he hadn't realized was gone, creep back into his gut. Was he really ready for this? He couldn't stop now, that would be extremely unfair to Zoro. But _oh God this was really happening_… He kind of knew how the whole thing went down, it couldn't be that different from straight sex, but he was still fuzzy on the logistics. Can they do it like a guy and a girl? Or were there some positions that didn't really work for guys? Where did his legs go? Shouldn't he take a shower first? What do they do when-

"Sanji…" Zoro was looking worried now. "Sanji, what's wrong?"

Sanji shook his head, trying to clear the worries. He squeezed Zoro's hands and leaned forward to whisper quietly as if someone was listening in on their conversation.

"I want to be with you, Zoro. I just don't…" Sanji faltered, growling quietly in frustration. "I can't believe I'm saying this…" He paused again and took a breath. "I… have no idea what to do. I feel like a fucking virgin."

That got a much better reaction than Sanji had thought it would. Zoro's breath sped up and the cook felt the other man's impossibly hot skin get even hotter. The swordsman's hands moved to Sanji's thighs and held there in a grip that was just shy of painful.

Zoro felt light headed, and it was no doubt that it was because all the blood in his entire body had rushed to fill his cock. Sanji's words had turned him on so hard, he thought he might just come right there on the floor. Leave it to the cook to have him reduced to babbling and incoherency with one simple phrase. Zoro had always loved Sanji's dirty sex talk, but this uncertain, nervous Sanji might _kill_ him.

_Virgin Sanji_… that just might be the hottest thing Zoro had ever heard of…

The swordsman tried to find his voice and murmured softly into Sanji's ear. "It's okay… You don't have to do anything." He pulled away from Sanji's neck and ran his tongue lightly over the cook's pulse. "Just trust me. I promise I'll make it feel good."

Zoro waited with a pounding heart, trying to control his breathing and relaxing his grip on Sanji's thighs. He tried to tell himself that if Sanji wanted to stop now, it would be okay, they could try again tomorrow. It did not mean that the cook was going to change his mind and kick him out later. It would be hard, so very, very hard to walk away from this, but Zoro knew he could do it. Sanji was okay with him, okay with being together, and that was so much more than he had been willing to ask for earlier that day.

Zoro felt hands on his cheeks and a gentle push to back away. The swordsman complied and looked up into Sanji's face. The cook studied him carefully, his brow furrowed gently as his eyes took in whatever it was he was looking for. Zoro remained still as stone, waiting.

"Who…" Sanji's voice cracked and he cleared his throat. He was shaking a little and Zoro slid his hands around the blond's waist to offer him silent support.

"Which one of us… um…" Sanji closed his eyes. "I mean, who…"

Zoro moved forward and kissed Sanji's trembling lips softly. He rested his forehead against the blond's and spoke as gently as he could.

"You can take me if you want… if that will make it easier for you."

Sanji hesitated, and then shook his head slowly. "I… I want to, but… I don't know what's good and what's not. I don't know if there's stuff that hurts or whatever. I want it to be good 'cause you've been waiting for a year." Sanji's breath caught and Zoro watched a single tear slide from the cook's eye.

"I… I think you deserve it…"

Zoro kissed Sanji's cheek, stopping the tear with his lips, and shivering at the cook's words. He was flattered beyond words and touched at what the cook was trying to say.

"Deserve what?" He pressed.

Sanji opened his eyes and fixed him with another intense stare.

"Take me," Sanji whispered. "Do what you said you were going to do earlier… make love to me."

Zoro's heart stopped. Nothing else the cook could have possibly said would ever have been better than that. The swordsman fought down the urge to burst into tears and moved his hand to slowly brush Sanji's hair from his face. His year of waiting, his agony at possibly losing his most precious person, his broken heart, and his worry about his seemingly bleak future seemed far away. Sanji's words had started the mending of his soul and he found a sense of peace welling inside him.

Sanji's worries that he had said something stupid vanished as he watched the tears fill Zoro's eyes. The swordsman brushed the hair from his eyes tenderly and leaned in close, his mouth just barely brushing against Sanji's. The cook shivered and parted his lips just as Zoro whispered to him.

"Lie back."

Sanji shuddered then and immediately moved up on the bed. He watched as Zoro stood and strode to the bedside table. Every muscle in the swordsman's body stood out against the moonlight. His thighs rippled and flexed as he bent to retrieve a small bottle from the top drawer. Sanji tried to hold in his gasp when Zoro turned towards him, but the cook couldn't help it when the man's front was illuminated completely. Besides the scar across his chest, Zoro was perfect. Every curve, every angle of his form showed he was a warrior. There was not a place on the swordsman that wasn't toned. Every inch of him showed his training, his determination to reach his goal.

Sanji's eyes moved lower and he stilled at the sight of Zoro's arousal. He wasn't as big as Sanji, but he was thick and had an almost textbook shape. The cook wanted to flee for a moment, but then remembered what Zoro had said about going slow. Zoro would never hurt him on purpose; he just had to trust him.

Zoro stood looking at Sanji for several long seconds. He knew he was probably making the cook uncomfortable by the way the blond was looking at him, but he didn't care. All he wanted at that moment was to look at the gorgeous man spread out on the sheets. Sanji was resting on his elbows, one of the sexiest positions he could manage and the cook probably didn't even realize it. His smooth skin almost glowed in the moonlight, his toned torso and long—_god, impossibly_ _long_-- legs stretched out in front of him, waiting to be caressed, waiting to be kissed and licked. Spread apart and wrapped around his waist…

Zoro tossed the lotion he had retrieved from the drawer onto the pillows and moved to crawl onto the bed. He kissed Sanji's knees and gently parted his legs. The cook was looking at him with wide eyes, but he made no moves to fight what was happening. He just watched as Zoro trailed kisses up the inside of his thighs. The swordsman moved in between the blond's legs and rested on his knees. His mouth licked up Sanji's chest and his teeth nibbled at the flesh of the cook's neck.

"Lay back," Zoro instructed again.

Sanji did as he was told and let his head and shoulders fall back onto the bed. Zoro kissed his mouth gently and reached for one of the pillows. "Lift your hips," he said softly. Sanji did and Zoro slipped the pillow underneath him. The swordsman then returned to Sanji's mouth, and this time, kissed him for real. He pushed passed Sanji's lips and ran his tongue over the cook's. He put his whole body into the kiss, resting on his elbow and wrapping his arm around the lithe torso beneath him. Sanji's arms came around his neck and Zoro let his hips come down on the blond's, crushing his erection against the cook's awakening member.

Sanji made a noise that was half a choke and half a moan. He dug his heels into the mattress and pushed up against Zoro, loving the friction and the feel of the other man's skin against his own. The swordsman's body rocked against his and Sanji let himself be swept away. He groaned into the other's mouth, not liking the sounds he was producing, but unable to stop them as Zoro moved against him. He broke the kiss and tilted his head back, silently asking for Zoro to claim his throat. The swordsman wasted no time and bit down on the other's skin, sucking gently as the cook cried out and tightened his arms around the larger man's neck.

Zoro's lips pulled away and ghosted over Sanji's ear. He breathed in the cook's smell and rolled his hips again. He couldn't get enough of the sounds Sanji was making and wished the blond would stop holding himself back. He wanted to hear Sanji's voice, listen to him ramble and curse as he lost control, just as Zoro was losing control of himself.

"Sanji," Zoro whispered, "Let me have you now… Please. I can't hold on any longer…"

The cook made a strangled noise and nodded against Zoro's neck. The swordsman kissed the blond once more before he rose to his knees and retrieved the bottle of lotion on the pillows. Sanji watched him as he opened the cap and poured a small amount into his palm. He tossed the bottle aside and bent one of Sanji's legs so that his ankle met the back of his thigh. "Hold your leg here," Zoro said, pushing Sanji's knee closer to his chest. Sanji obeyed and pulled his leg back as Zoro stroked his cock, coating it with the lotion and filling the small space with the smell of Asian pears.

"Z-Zoro…" Sanji said in a broken whisper.

Zoro looked up and met Sanji's wide eyes. "Yes, Sanji?"

Sanji fisted the sheets above his head with his free hand and bit his bottom lip. "Does it hurt?"

Zoro stilled his movements and leaned over the frightened cook, kissing him softly and using his un-lubed hand to rub soft circles on the flesh of his thigh.

"It might for a few seconds," Zoro said. "But there's more pressure than anything." Sanji nodded but he still looked like Zoro was about to brand him with hot coals. The swordsman kissed him again and murmured softly onto his lips. "I would never want to hurt you, Sanji. If you tell me to stop, I'll stop… no matter how far along we are."

"Promise?" Sanji whimpered.

"I promise," Zoro agreed.

Sanji closed his eyes and the tension left his shoulders. He took a couple of deep breaths and nodded his head.

"Okay," he whispered, "Okay…"

Zoro could barely control his shaking as he teased the head of his cock against Sanji's opening. He pressed forward, pushing only his head inside in case Sanji did decide to stop. He watched as the cook squeezed his eyes closed and clenched his jaw, but the blond said nothing.

"Relax," Zoro's voice shook, "Relax here, Sanji." Zoro rubbed the tightly clenched muscles of the cook's ass, still watching the blond's face. Sanji gritted his teeth and cussed softly, but Zoro felt his muscles relax slightly.

Zoro prayed to any god that might exist that Sanji wouldn't tell him to stop, and eased himself forward. Sinking slowly inside, he tried to be as careful as possible and not just plunge in and start pounding the cook like he used to. Sanji's hand slipped from his sweaty leg and gripped the swordsman's arm, his fingers dug into Zoro's flesh. He still said nothing though, so Zoro continued to press forward until he was fully seated.

"Sanji," Zoro said with some difficulty. "Sanji, are you all right?"

Tears were leaking from Sanji's closed eyes. At Zoro's words, the cook breathed in sharply as if he had been holding his breath the whole time.

"Shit…" Sanji said though clenched teeth.

Zoro leaned over him and pulled his fingers through his hair. "Sanji, are you okay? Talk to me, baby, does it hurt?"

Sanji lay beneath the swordsman, his heel digging into the mattress and his thighs squeezing Zoro's hips like they were his last grip on life. He opened his eyes slowly and looked up into concerned dark eyes. There was pressure, just like Zoro had said, but there was no pain, none at all. He had been so worried about the whole thing that now, as his fears were laid to rest, his relief crashed into him, causing a sob to escape his lips.

"No…" he managed between sharp gasps of air, "No… it doesn't hurt at all."

Zoro didn't look convinced. "Sanji, if you're lying to-"

"Zoro," Sanji growled, "Are you gonna show me how this is done or not? Fucking move alr… ah… oh God… _Oh fuck, Zoro_…"

Zoro braced himself on his hands. He thrust in and out, rolling his hips slightly to the right. He knew that precise movement caused him to brush places inside Sanji that drove the cook wild. He watched Sanji's face as pleasure danced across his features. He made the most tantalizing sounds as Zoro rolled into him and the swordsman felt himself losing it faster than he ever had before. It had been too long; too long apart; too long without each other's touch. Zoro's restraint started to disappear and he leaned down to kiss Sanji's lips.

Sanji gasped as everything became Zoro. There was no other smell, no other touch, no other anything as the swordsman moved inside him. The world had fallen away and all that remained was Zoro's lips against his, Zoro's cock moving in and out of him, sending ecstasy instead of blood coursing through his veins. There was no greater pleasure than this. Sanji was finally alive and _living_ for the first time. No kitchen, no dojo, no fighting ring in the world held as much joy for Sanji as one caress from Zoro's hands; one kiss from the swordsman's lips.

Then, just when Sanji thought it couldn't get any better, Zoro whispered against his mouth. Beautiful words said in a breathless, untamed voice that sent electricity straight to Sanji's heart.

"Sanji," Zoro gasped, "I love you… please don't ever forget that again."

Sanji's eyes opened to met Zoro's. Their gazes locked for several long moments as they breathed the same air and reveled in the slide of their sweaty bodies. Sanji broke first and lifted both his hands to cup the swordsman's jaw. He kissed him hard and the larger man groaned from deep in his throat. Zoro sped up his movements and Sanji knew he was nearing his peak. He reached down to take himself in his hand, but Zoro's was already there. The green-haired man pumped him mercilessly as he pounded in and out of him. Sanji lifted his legs to wrap around the other man's waist and raised his hands above his head to tangle back in the sheets. He was coming before he knew it, spurting his seed over Zoro's hand and crying out Zoro's name over and over.

Zoro knew that if this was the last thing he ever did, he would have no regrets. As Sanji's legs came around him and the cook started to pulse in his hand, he knew that his life was complete again and the dead person pretending to be him for the last year was gone. Sanji's presence surrounded him, filled in the holes lift vacant for so long. The cook's cries, saying his name again and again, mended his heart and calmed his spirit. He didn't realize he had been whispering how much he loved Sanji over and over in the other man's ear until he started to come himself and his voice left him.

The next thing Zoro knew, he was on his side and Sanji was curled against his chest. He must have blacked out. That happened quite often with Sanji, the orgasm being so intense, his brain momentarily shut down.

Sanji was breathing hard into the crook of his neck, his arms rested against his scarred chest. Zoro slipped his hand around the slim waist and pulled the other man as close to him as he could.

"Zoro?" Sanji's voice startled him.

Zoro cleared his throat, worried at what Sanji might say. "Yeah?"

Sanji lay still, his breath slowing and starting to tickle Zoro's skin.

"Say it again…"

Zoro held his breath. "Say what again?"

"Don't be stupid."

Zoro's eyes filled with tears yet again and he pressed a kiss into Sanji's hair. It took a moment before he could speak, but when he did, his voice was steady.

"I love you, Sanji…"

Sanji closed his eyes and sank against Zoro's body. He felt the catch in Zoro's breathing and he turned slightly so the larger man could slip his other arm around his body. The swordsman held him tightly and Sanji's heart ached when he felt the cool trickle of tears on Zoro's chin.

"Zoro, I'm sorry," Sanji whispered.

Zoro tensed. "Sorry for what?"

Sanji took a breath and murmured into Zoro's neck. "For making you hurt for so long."

Zoro growled, but the sound held no anger. "I told you before, this wasn't your fault."

Sanji shook his head and slid his hand down Zoro's chest.

"No," he said softly, "These last couple of weeks were my fault, I didn't listen to my own instincts. I'm sorry for that…"

Zoro let out a breath and kissed his head again. Sanji felt the swordsman pulling a quilt over them both before settling back down and running his hand along the skin of his arm.

"You're here with me now," Zoro whispered, "So you don't need to apologize."

Sanji nodded and accepted that as Zoro's forgiveness. He tucked himself away into the larger man's outline and drifted off to sleep with Zoro's caresses soothing his mind and heart.

X x X x X

Sanji awoke to the sound of Nine Inch Nails' _March of the Pigs_. He was disoriented and groggy, but he still figured it was the ring of a cell phone. He crawled over Zoro's passed out form, and rolled off the bed, onto the floor. The ringing continued but was much louder and Sanji realized that the phone must be only a few feet from him. He spotted Zoro's pants on the floor to his right and fumbled in the pockets until he found Zoro's phone.

"Hello?" He mumbled sleepily, not thinking to check the caller ID.

"S-Sanji?" Ace's voice was high pitched. "Why do you have Zoro's phone?"

Sanji rubbed his eyes and leaned against the bed. "Because it was on the floor and I picked it up."

Ace sputtered and Sanji thought he heard Vivi in the background.

"Sanji," Ace said seriously, "Where is Zoro? He was supposed to call me."

Sanji yawned. "He's about a foot and a half behind me sleeping."

Ace was silent for a few seconds before he responded. "Sleeping? Why?"

Sanji growled into the phone, frustrated with his friend.

"Because he wore himself out fucking me! I'm pretty tired too, so if you don't have an actual purpose for this call, I'm gonna hang up and go back to sleep, okay!?"

Sanji pulled his ear away from the phone as Ace's laughter bellowed through the receiver. He groaned in annoyance and cussed at his friend.

"Fuck you, Ace."

Ace tried to speak through his laughter.

"_I love you guys! I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?_"

"Night, asshole."

**TBC**


	17. Chapter 17

I didn't forget this story. x) I just moved though, so Real Life got in the way for a bit. Hope you enjoy! xD

**Chapter 17**

Sunlight warmed Sanji's cheeks as he slowly surfaced from sleep. He breathed in deeply, and took in the large, warm body pressed against him from behind. He kept his eyes closed and let his fingers slide over the rough skin of Zoro's forearm. The larger man's breath puffed against the back of his neck, and the cook's mouth quirked as the swordsman let out a soft snore.

Sanji opened his eyes. Zoro was curled against his back; his face buried in Sanji's hair. One of his tanned legs was lodged between Sanji's, and Zoro's arm was wrapped firmly around his waist. The swordsman had thoroughly trapped him, and the cook couldn't help but chuckle. Sanji lifted his head carefully off of Zoro's arm, and shifted his shoulders. He turned as far as Zoro's hold would allow, and placed a light kiss on his sleeping lover's temple.

_Oh wow_… Sanji thought with a start. _Lover… Zoro is my lover… My lover is a man… Holy God…_

He had expected, come morning, he would feel apprehensive, embarrassed, or maybe even ashamed. But as Sanji lay there, listening to Zoro's breathing and watching the swordsman's eyelashes flutter as he dreamed, Sanji felt nothing but content. He took a few moments to just look at the other man, take in his skin, his lips, things that he had no doubt already memorized once but had forgotten. He lifted the arm that rested against Zoro's chest, and ran the backs of his fingers over the swordsman's jaw. The skin was smooth, no stubble at all. Not one hair.

_That's strang_e. Sanji's brow furrowed. _Does Zoro have any body hair at all?_

Sanji remembered Zoro's arms were smooth and hairless. The swordsman had shown him at the hospital, and last night he really hadn't had a chance to look at the other's legs. Did he have leg hair? For that matter, did he have hair...

_Not going there._ Sanji squeezed his eyes shut. He had just spent, what was for him, his first night as a gay man, but that didn't mean he was okay with another man's genitalia. It was Zoro, and he was pretty okay with Zoro, but Zoro's genitals? No. Give him a day or two… maybe a week… or two… Then maybe he would work up the courage to… check it out… explore… and do… stuff…

Sanji mentally rolled his eyes and turned over slowly. _Time to get up. Lying here, cuddled with naked Zoro can't be good for one's reasoning… or poise._

The cook moved carefully out from under Zoro's arm and untangled his feet. He slipped from the bed, and tiptoed to his drawers where he pulled out a pair of black Judo gi training pants. He held them up and smiled approvingly at the double layer knee patches. He slipped them on without boxers and started to reach for a shirt, but then stopped as he eyed Zoro's drawers. He checked over his shoulder at the sleeping swordsman, feeling a little like a teenager, before he opened the drawer and pulled out one of Zoro's long sleeved shirts. He left the room silently, pulling the soft black fabric over his head.

_God, I'm retarded… One freaking night and I'm already…_ Sanji buried his face in the sleeves and inhaled Zoro's scent. _Never mind_, _I don't think I really care…_

In the bathroom, as Sanji brushed his teeth, he alternated placing his feet on the counter and stretching his front and inner thighs. He made a note of which muscle groups were sore, and let his mind calculate how these new muscles were going to improve his attacks. He tried not to dwell in his surprise of finding himself not sore in the places he thought he would be. Shouldn't there be a little throbbing or tenderness? Some kind of discomfort after-

Sanji's cell phone rang, pulling the cook from that particular line of thought. He let out a relieved breath, and dug through the pockets of the jacket he had left in the bathroom the night before. He pulled out the little silver Blackberry playing _How To Save A Life_ by The Fray. The caller ID showed 'Chopper', and Sanji answered with a smile.

"Hey kiddo."

He heard Chopper scoff on the other end. "Don't call me that. I'm only like, two years younger than you."

"Sorry." Sanji chuckled. He grabbed his cigarettes and lighter before he headed to the kitchen. "So what's up?"

"Well, I… um…" Chopper's voice trailed off.

Sanji knew that tone, and he sighed softly as he pulled out a kettle and filled it with water. "What's wrong?"

Chopper made a small sound and started to mumble into the phone.

"I um… nothing's wrong… I was just calling because…" Chopper's voice tightened, and Sanji stilled as his friend held his breath and sniffed wetly into is ear.

Sanji started to worry. "Chopper, if nothing is wrong, why are you calling me at seven in the morning and trying not to cry? Did something else happen with Usopp? Is Kaya okay?"

To Sanji's surprise, Chopper started to laugh. It was shaky and punctuated by harsh sniffing, but it calmed Sanji enough that he could set the kettle on the stove and take down a package of Earl Grey tea. He waited patiently for Chopper to compose himself, and pulled the milk from the fridge.

"No, no," Chopper said. "I was calling because I… I called Luffy this morning and he was at Ace's… he was- well, he and Ace- were shouting and talking to me at the same time and I couldn't understand much, but… he… they said… Ace said…" Chopper's voice trailed off again.

Sanji smiled, knowing exactly what Chopper was trying to ask. He leaned against the counter and grabbed the sugar container, tracing around the lid with his index finger.

"It's true, Chopper," Sanji said quietly.

Zoro woke up alone, like he had so many times before after dreaming of Sanji. He stared at the empty space beside him before he rolled onto his back and almost started sobbing at the thought of last night being just another dream. Or even worse, if it hadn't, and Sanji was pissed about the whole thing. But as he listened, he heard the cook shuffling around in the kitchen, talking happily to someone on the phone. The swordsman turned back onto his side and fisted the sheets as the tears _really_ threatened to run. It was suddenly just like any other morning when Sanji had been with him before. Zoro was rested, warm under his blankets, with the comforting smell of cigarette smoke wafting in from the other room. He smelled Sanji all over him, his spicy, musky scent lingered on the pillow and on his skin. He closed his eyes and just listened, reveling in the moment, happy beyond all rational thought.

Until doubt had kicked in. Last night had been great for him, amazing, mind blowing even… but what about Sanji? Had he liked it? Had it been good for him? There were moments when Zoro knew he had been rough. Had he been too rough? Had he hurt Sanji? Was the cook just going through the motions of being fine when he was actually in pain? Sanji did that all the time--put on a strong face and pressed on through the discomfort. His pride was so important to him. _Shit_… what if Zoro had gone too fast? Should he have just kissed him? Kept his touches to a minimum and let the cook work into the intimate part of their relationship slowly?

Slipping out of bed and pulling on sweats and a sweatshirt, Zoro moved silently into the hallway. He trailed a hand along the wall beside him, as he moved toward the kitchen. Sanji's voice was low, but he was speaking gently, no hint of anger in his voice. Zoro listened and his heart sped up as the cook started to laugh softly.

Sanji chuckled as Chopper started choking. His friend stuttered a bit before he managed to get a few words across.

"It… it is? True, I mean? You and Zoro…?"

Sanji got a mug from one of the hanging pegs, and set it next to the stove. "It is." He added milk and sugar before he turned around and lifted himself to sit on the counter. Holding the phone against his shoulder, he listened to the quiet sobs of his friend as he pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit up.

"What…" Chopper breathed, and Sanji was sure he heard a loud voice over an intercom. "What happened? Everyone thought you were going to…"

"I know what it probably looked like, but you guys have no idea how hard it was for me to just…" Sanji sighed and turned off the heat right as the kettle started to whistle. "I thought he was tired of waiting for me to make a decision and was getting pissed off." He added the tea to the water and filled his mug without waiting for it to settle.

"What!?" Chopper cried.

"I know, it sounds stupid, but from how I saw it, I thought he just wanted me to get my act together so he could get on with his life."

"Oh, Sanji," Chopper whimpered. "Zoro would never… He loves you so much."

Sanji could feel himself blush, and he rubbed his thumb over the top of the mug. "I know…now…"

Chopper sighed heavily. "He thought you were going to tell him to leave…"

Sanji felt eyes on him, and turned to see Zoro leaning on the wall at the entrance to the kitchen. His hands were shoved deep into the pocket of his sweatshirt, and his eyes were studying something infinitely interesting on the hardwood floor at his feet.

"I know he did… But I hope he understands now that I never planned on doing that…"

Zoro's eyes lifted slowly until he met Sanji's. Their gazes locked, and Sanji was thrown by the intensity Zoro was able to conjure up with just a look. The cook also noticed Zoro's stance was slightly defeated, like it was last night. Sanji's heart ached, and he wanted to jump off the counter and pull Zoro into his arms, kiss him softly until that look went away. He never wanted to see the swordsman like that ever again, _especially_ if it was because of him.

"You never know with Zoro," Chopper said. "Sometimes he's so right on and he knows exactly what you're thinking, and then other times… he just… doesn't get it."

Sanji didn't miss the note of sadness in Chopper's voice, but he filed it away for a later time. He stayed looking at Zoro, as he pulled out a cigarette and lit the tip. Running to the other man and throwing his arms around him like a woman wasn't something Sanji was ready to do yet, and he wasn't even sure if Zoro would appreciate it. Instead, he motioned carefully to the swordsman to come closer and tilted his head to the side, letting his bangs hang down playfully into his eyes.

"How is he?" Chopper asked, bringing Sanji back to the conversation.

Sanji kept his eyes on Zoro as he answered, "I'm not really sure. I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet."

"Oh," Chopper said, sounding disappointed. "But… he was happy last… um, last night right?" Sanji could almost _hear_ Chopper blushing. "Did he sleep at all? He said he's been having trouble sleeping since… you woke up."

Chopper sniffed into Sanji's ear as Zoro slowly moved away from the wall and made his way carefully into the kitchen. Sanji blew out smoke and watched Zoro carefully, as he stepped across the floor towards him and stopped a few inches from his dangling feet.

"From what I could tell, he slept good," Sanji replied.

Zoro's eyes were frightened, and Sanji's heart broke anew. What could be so wrong after such a wonderful night? He offered his mug and the swordsman took it with what seemed like reflex.

Another loud intercom voice boomed in the background, and Chopper made a frustrated noise. "I have to go. If they find me here, I'll probably lose my job so… Can I see you guys after my shift is over?"

Sanji smiled, and Zoro looked at him, puzzled. "That'll be fine. We'll be out and about today, so just give one of us a call."

"All right, I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Chopper."

Sanji hung up. He took a drag from his cigarette, and sat staring at Zoro as he blew out another long, slow stream. The swordsman buckled under his gaze, and looked down into the mug. He took a large swallow and handed the cup back to Sanji.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Sanji took the mug, and took a swallow before setting it down beside him on the counter. He waited patiently for the other man to say what was on his mind.

Zoro shifted, and folded his arms over his chest. He looked so defeated--not like he had the night before, thank God, but so apprehensive and nervous that Sanji wanted to grab his shoulders and shake it out of him. The swordsman looked at the ground and opened his mouth.

"Are... are you okay?" he whispered softly.

Sanji melted a little inside. If that was really what was making Zoro so anxious, the sentiment was so incredibly sweet. The fact that Zoro cared so much for him, made Sanji fall just that much more for the handsome swordsman.

But then he realized that waking up alone after last night had probably upset Zoro. Sanji should have stayed in bed with him, and reassured the other man just by being there. God knows Zoro had woken up alone enough times. The cook reached out and tugged on swordsman's sweatpants, silently asking him to move closer. Zoro looked up cautiously, and stepped in between Sanji's knees. The cook sat a little higher than him on the counter, so Sanji tilted his chin down, inviting Zoro to kiss him. Zoro responded tentatively, gently touching his lips to the blond's.

The cook dropped his cigarette butt in the sink with a soft 'hiss', and lifted his hands to trail his thumbs down Zoro's jaw. He moved over the other man's slightly chapped but still soft and gentle lips, slipping his tongue into Zoro's mouth, lapping up the sweet taste of the tea and sugar. His hands moved around the larger man's neck, his fingers raking gently through short, rough hair. Sanji was starting to really enjoy the different textures of Zoro: his leathery, smooth skin, his coarse hair, the roughness of his tongue, and the calloused pads of his palms…

Zoro felt his tension ease. He let himself be led by the other man, tilting his head back to let Sanji kiss him how ever he wanted. Zoro's hands moved over Sanji's thighs, caressing softly, massaging circles into the powerful muscles. He felt Sanji's ankles hook around the back of his legs, and he let out a deep growl of approval as the cook pulled him closer. Their kiss became heated, their breath quickening as Sanji bit at his tongue and pulled hard on the back of his hair. The swordsman pressed in harder, arching as Sanji leaned forward. He grabbed the counter with one hand to steady both their bodies before he accidently pushed Sanji onto the stove. Zoro dove deep into Sanji's mouth, savoring the sweet tea and smoky flavor. He had always loved the taste of the cook right after he'd had a cigarette. It was as if Sanji was spiced; cooked and seasoned to perfection, just the way Zoro liked. He slid his hands up under Sanji's sweater and started to stroke the warm skin of the cook's sides.

Sanji was astounded that something could feel this good. It was a kiss! Just a fucking kiss! The sun had barely risen and already Zoro had him completely undone. The cook's entire body was humming with want for the swordsman. His need of the other man blinding his senses, blocking out everything but how much he wanted Zoro inside him again; over him, covering him, surrounding him.

Sanji ended the kiss abruptly, grabbing Zoro's jaw and pushing the other man away gently. He blinked heavy eyelids before smiling a flirtatious smile down at the other man.

"Morning…" Sanji whispered.

Zoro met his eyes and smiled softly. Sanji was so beautiful, so alluring and tempting without even trying. At times like this, when the cook was aggressive, actually _trying_ to seduce him with his ragged breaths and his tantalizing kisses, Zoro's head spun. The swordsman tried to slow his breathing and calm his racing heart.

"Morning…" Zoro answered.

Sanji scooted forward and pushed slowly off the counter. Zoro's legs threatened to buckle as he felt the unmistakable outline of Sanji's arousal through the soft cotton of his pants, sliding deliberately down his stomach. Sanji settled on the floor, never breaking his eye contact, watching Zoro's reactions with a small smirk.

Zoro's hand still gripped the counter edge to keep himself from falling over. He couldn't believe Sanji's forwardness after just one night. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his libido.

"You're awful friendly today," he whispered into Sanji's hair.

Sanji eyes because serious, but he smiled and wrapped his arms around Zoro's neck.

"I'm just so tired of fighting it," he said softly. "I'm exhausted from trying to convince myself I didn't feel… anything…"

Zoro nodded slowly, understanding, having gone through the same thing two years ago. He leaned forward and kissed Sanji's forehead softly, letting his lips linger in the soft, blond hair for a few extra seconds.

Sanji pulled away and squeezed his arms. "I'm gonna take a shower."

Zoro nodded and backed away reluctantly. As Sanji turned away, Zoro started toward the dojo and began planning a workout in his head; something hard and vigorous to get his control back: a little weight lifting, maybe some intense breathing exercises to get his blood flowing somewhere other than the fixed area between his thighs. He needed his head back before the two of them went out to their super secret meeting with Chaka.

The swordsman took a few steps before Sanji's voice called to him from the hallway.

"Hey, Zoro…"

The tone in the cook's voice went straight to the swordsman's already uncomfortable erection, and Zoro shivered as he turned to look at his lover.

Sanji stood looking at him over his shoulder, the sweater was half off and the cook made a show of pulling it off his arms and dropping it on the floor.

"You aren't gonna join me?"

It was unreal. Sanji- _his Sanji_- stood there in the hallway, smirking over his shoulder and teasingly hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his pants. He slowly tugged the fabric down, revealing inch after inch of creamy, pale skin. Zoro's heart leapt into his throat as he watched the cook slip into the bathroom and toss the pants out the door. The swordsman walked carefully across the hardwood floor, feeling as if he was walking through a dream. A perfect, impossible dream that, just yesterday had been unattainable.

Zoro pushed open the door to the bathroom and stepped inside onto the cool tiled floor. Sanji was already in the shower. The water ran, fogging up the mirror and masking any sounds Zoro made as he closed the door and pulled off his shirt.

Sanji stood under the spray. He steadied himself with one hand against the tiled wall and tried to keep his calm. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but whatever it was, it was easy. Flirting and playing games like this with Zoro so natural, he didn't even have to think. His body just knew inherently what the swordsman would react to; what would catch his attention. He heard the door to the shower open, and his heart started pounding on his ribcage. He glanced over his shoulder, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to hide the fact that his hands were trembling.

Zoro stepped into the shower, and only hesitated a moment before reaching out and running a hand down Sanji's side. The hot water flowed over the cook's body, flushing the skin a light pink. Zoro's other hand came to Sanji's other side and slid softly over the defined muscles of the cook's stomach, his hips, and moved lower to caress toned thighs. Sanji's intense blue eyes closed as the swordsman moved closer and pressed a kiss to the blonds' temple.

Sanji turned slowly, his hands running up Zoro's chest to wrap around the larger man's neck. He brought his lips to Zoro's, trying to let the swordsman know, without saying, how much he wanted him. His fingers slid up the tanned skin, tangled in Zoro's thick hair, and pressed with his palms into the back of the swordsman's head. Sanji pulled the other closer, rolling his tongue over Zoro's, moaning softly as the larger man's hands slid to his ass and gripped hard.

Zoro pressed their bodies together, Sanji's arousal rubbed hard against his own sensitive flesh. The sounds the cook was making drove Zoro into a frenzy of dizziness and lust. He pulled off of Sanji's mouth and attacked the pale, wet skin of the other's throat. He kissed and licked and bit down hard, eliciting a soft cry from Sanji's bruised lips.

Sanji lost himself. He wanted Zoro so bad at that moment, he almost couldn't remember his own name. He gripped the swordsman's jaw and turned Zoro's dark eyes up to meet his. He panted heavily against the other's lips, and growled just loud enough to be heard over the rush of water.

"I want your mouth on me…"

Zoro's cock twitched hard at the command. He let out a shaky breath and obeyed immediately, sinking to his knees, trying not to let it show that his legs had almost buckled. He took Sanji in his mouth and sucked him hard, his heart skipping a few beats as fingers tangled in his hair and Sanji hissed above him.

"Oh, _fuck_… Ah… _shit_…"

Zoro bobbed his head, taking Sanji down as deep as he could. His hands massaged his sack, stroked his base. The pressure on his hair tightened and he looked up to see Sanji watching him through hooded eyes, his mouth open, panting hard.

Seeing his lover like that, Zoro couldn't hold his restraint anymore. He released Sanji and stood, the slighter man growling as his cock slipped from the swordsman's mouth. Zoro grabbed Sanji's hips and spun him around. He pushed the other's body against the wall, and the cook cried out.

Sanji's hands flew to the tiles. He whimpered as he was pushed against the wall and closed his eyes. Zoro's body pressed against his, he felt the other man's cock rubbing against the cleft of his ass. He arched and spread his legs on instinct. Zoro's mouth came down on his shoulder, leaving kisses that seemed hotter than the steaming water pounding down on his flesh. He let his head fall back and he gasped as he felt the swordsman's dexterous fingers massaging his entrance, teasing, pressing into him roughly. The cook twisted his head to snarl at his tormentor.

"God damnit," Sanji gritted his teeth. The swordsman lifted his head to meet Sanji's eyes. "Just fucking do it already."

Zoro used his body to slam Sanji fully against the wall. He left open-mouthed kisses on the back of the blond's neck, trailing up to his jaw. The cook faced forward and rested his forehead on the tiles. One of his hands slid up the wall and grabbed the base of the shower nozzle. Zoro pulled the cook's hips back and grabbed his own aching arousal. He pressed inside Sanji slowly, but didn't wait for the other man to adjust before he began to move.

"Ah!" Sanji almost screamed, and then continued to ramble in a breathless voice, "Oh fuck yeah… Ah… _Oh God!_"

Zoro slammed into Sanji, over and over. His chest slid over the smooth skin of Sanji's back, the cook's wet hair brushed against his nose and eyes. He felt himself slipping over the edge and began grunting harshly against the skin of Sanji's neck. The blond reached behind with his free hand, and grabbed Zoro's hair once again. He pulled hard and Zoro retaliated by biting into Sanji's shoulder. The blond roared and started a long string of curses. Zoro knew Sanji was close by the volume of his voice and the colorful phrasing he was beginning to use. The swordsman reached around Sanji's waist and grabbed the cook's erection, pumping furiously as his hips kept up the fast, hard pace.

Sanji felt his balls tightening and his body became rigid as orgasm ripped through him. He gripped the shower nozzle base harder and arched up against Zoro's body, clenching his jaw hard, as his seed hit his chest and the shower wall. Zoro groaned into his neck and pulsed inside of him seconds after. The swordsman slowed his movements and moaned again, pushing in and out a few more times before he stilled and moved his hands to Sanji's waist. He rubbed soft circles into the blond's muscles as Sanji came down, his breath returning to him.

The hard spray of water had washed away any traces of their actions by the time Sanji lowered his head. He let go of the nozzle and covered Zoro's hands with his own. The swordsman pulled out slowly and Sanji hissed as pain shot up his spine.

"You okay?" Zoro whispered into his ear, still out of breath.

Sanji nodded. "Yeah, just… it hurt this time." He turned slowly, leaning against Zoro's chest, kissing the tanned skin of the swordsman's collar.

Zoro wrapped his arms around Sanji, and gently pressed the cook's back against the wall. He kissed the blond hair, the flushed cheeks, and the swollen lips. "I'm sorry…" he whispered.

Sanji smiled and ran fingers down Zoro's cheek. "It's okay. It hurt but… felt good too."

Zoro let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He ran a thumb over Sanji's lower lip and kissed the cook again. "That's good," he breathed.

"That's what I thought having sex with you would be like from the beginning." Sanji let his head fall back to rest on the wall. The water ran down his face and he pulled his hands back to rub his eyes. "Last night… I didn't expect…" He looked down, unable to meet Zoro's eyes.

"What?" Zoro asked. "You didn't expect what?"

Sanji sighed and succumbed to the embarrassment. He continued in a softer voice.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so… um… gentle…" He cleared his throat, and stared hard at the scar on Zoro's chest.

Zoro's lips brushed against his ear, and Sanji could hear the smile clearly in the swordsman's voice.

"I'm not a barbarian," Zoro murmured. "I can be gentle… Making love's supposed to be slow and gentle."

Sanji's heart thumped heavily as a smile of his own pulled at his mouth.

"Hmm…" Sanji slid a hand back up Zoro's chest and wrapped his arm around the muscled neck. "So, what was this?"

Zoro chuckled. "Oh, this? This was fucking."

Sanji tilted his head up, and his laughter echoed across the ceiling. He held Zoro tighter and kissed the other man's jaw.

"Okay, well, I might have to implement a no fucking rule for the next few days. I don't think my ass can take it."

Zoro smiled a mischievous smile, and nosed Sanji's hair.

"Oh, we can still fuck tonight if you really want to…"

Sanji made a face at him and pushed away. "No, I mean it, Zoro. I hurt like a son of a-"

"You can fuck me tonight."

The words were whispered softly, but Sanji heard them clear as a bell on a still, summer day. His mouth hung open as Zoro pulled back and looked into his eyes. There was so much self assurance, so much calm passion, so much love for him in those beautiful dark eyes that Sanji couldn't help but tremble.

"R… really?" The cook stuttered.

Zoro nodded and ran his hands down Sanji's sides again, sliding over the muscular curves of his ass.

"If you want, yes."

Sanji almost choked on his tongue as he tried to answer too quickly.

"Y-yes," he coughed. "Yes, I want."

Zoro smiled then and kissed him soundly. "Well then, let's clean up and go find out what the… what'd you call him, Pharaoh? Find out what the Pharaoh wants so we can come back home and break you in."

X x X x X

After a thorough washing, Sanji left Zoro in the shower, and slipped out to dry and pull his pants back on. He wanted a cigarette and headed for the kitchen, but stopped dead in his tracks when he came face to face with one afro-sporting musician sitting at the island, drinking tea and reading the morning paper.

When the cook stepped through the entrance, Brook looked up and smiled a toothy smile.

"Good morning, Sanji! I suspect you had a fantastic night!"

Sanji froze and blinked in confusion. How had he gotten in? What was he doing here? What did he mean by a fantastic- oh god…

"Um, Brook?" Sanji asked carefully, as he made his way to the stove to grab his pack. "How long have you been here?"

Brook ran one long, boney finger over his chin thoughtfully and looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, let's see… from about the time the word 'fuck' started to flow pretty freely. Not to mention a few others I believe I've never heard before. What language was that anyway?"

Sanji's face heated, and the cook looked away quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Oh um... sorry, man."

Brook laughed good naturedly, and strummed his hands on the countertop. "Oh don't be! I've heard far worse from you, and Zoro, now that I think about it."

Sanji whimpered. He slipped a cigarette into his mouth before turning back to the tall black man and pulling a stool out for himself.

"So what are you doing here?" Sanji blew out a stream of smoke. "Besides being a perv and a voyeur of course."

Brook chuckled. "Besides a pervert and a voyeur? Hm, nothing."

Sanji smiled. Brook was so easy going, it was hard not to relax when he was around.

"I debated not coming because I didn't want to disturb your morning after, but I smelled my tea and thought you might be expecting me."

Sanji frowned, confused, but shook his head. "Why would I be expecting you?"

Brook grinned and lifted his cup to his lips. "It's Friday."

Sanji blinked. "That doesn't really help me understand."

Brook laughed and stood to head over to the stove. "You and I had made a habit of having tea together on Friday mornings before your accident." The musician poured himself another cup and added an insane amount of milk. "We would go over my song list and you would talk about the different menus you had planned for the weekend."

Sanji's eyebrows rose. "Different menus for the weekend? We don't do different menus on weekends at the Baratie."

"No you don't," Brook agreed. "But at the Rocksou, you do."

As Brook returned to his seat, Sanji's brain finally kicked in.

"That's the restaurant I worked at huh?"

Brook sipped his tea and started to wiggle his fingers in the air, palm up. It took a moment for Sanji to realize that the man was playing air violin. The cook smiled at the musician's eccentricity, and listened as the tall man began to speak again.

"The Rocksou is a very prestigious restaurant down by the waterfront. You were offered a job there after your stint on the Food Network. Actually, you were offered a lot of jobs after your victory against Mario Batali."

Sanji sat forward suddenly. "Wait, Mario Batali? Like Mario Batali from the Food Network!? Was I on _Iron Chef?!_"

Brook chuckled, "You were, and you won."

Sanji raised his hands in the air and made a strange, high pitched keening noise. No wonder he had risen in fame so fast! He had won a challenge on _Iron Chef_! It all made sense now!

"Oh, my God, I won against Mario Batali on _Iron Chef_, and I can't even _remember it!!_ He has the highest percentage of wins, and _I beat him!!_"

"We have the recording," Zoro's voice sounded from behind him, and Sanji turned to face him. "I can find it, I just gotta search the closet."

"Oh my fucking God, I'm amazing!" Sanji exclaimed, only half joking.

Zoro grinned and opened the refrigerator. "That you are."

Sanji's celebratory mood waned a little at Zoro's sincere comment. The cook felt his cheeks flush again and he looked at the floor. He scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.

Brook cleared his throat, and Sanji turned just in time to see the musician cover a wide grin with his cup.

After a quick sip, Brook said happily, "I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Your secret ingredient was anchovies."

Sanji made a face. "Jesus."

"We didn't eat them for months after that," Zoro added. "Not that it was a bad thing, really."

Brook chuckled again and continued with his story. "Anyway, you took the job at the Rocksou, because they offered you the head chef position, in combination with a job that was basically manager. You got to decide when the menu was changed, when special events happened, anything you wanted. You got me my gig there after Luffy introduced us. I perform with my trio every Friday and Saturday night. That's why we had tea Friday mornings, to get ready for your two busiest nights."

"Which makes me think," Zoro said as he moved to the stove. "This Earl Grey tea is probably more than a year old, since it hasn't been used since the accident. Doesn't it go bad?"

"Instant tea doesn't go bad for a long time," Sanji said over his shoulder.

"Oh yes, Zoro." Brook waved his hands enthusiastically. "Thank you for reminding him about the tea, it was still hot when I got here. I don't think Sanji and I discussed our meetings while he was in the hospital."

Zoro looked over his shoulder as he pulled cereal from the cupboard.

"I didn't say anything," Zoro said smiling, "he just knew."

Sanji stared at the counter as Brook stood and started to dance. He _had_ just known to make the tea. He hadn't even thought about it. But it was funny because he hadn't really thought about it being Friday. He looked up at Zoro and frowned.

"Have I done anything else unconsciously since I got home?"

Zoro leaned against the counter and took a bite of cereal. "Um, you knew to put sugar in my coffee, and you called Chopper a tanuki yesterday."

"What the hell is a tanuki?"

"It's a creature in Japanese folklore. It's like a raccoon dog or something." Zoro shrugged.

Sanji laughed. "Why would I call Chopper a tanuki?"

"Doesn't he look like a raccoon sometimes?" Brook asked. "Like when he's surprised or impressed his eyes get really big? And I think his puppy-like nature goes without saying."

Sanji thought about it for a moment before he grinned. "Yeah, I guess it does fit."

"Speaking of Chopper," Zoro said, as he put his empty bowl in the sink. "Are we meeting him today?"

Sanji stood. "Oh yeah, I told him we'd be out, so just call us. Maybe he should go with us to meet the Pharaoh."

Brook's ears perked up. "The Pharaoh?"

Zoro moved into the dojo to grab his coat. "That might be a good idea. If he's got something to say about the whole Usopp and Kaya thing, I think Chopper should be there to hear it."

"Wait, what?" Brook flailed. "Usopp and Kaya thing? You're going to see a Pharaoh about Ussop and Kaya!?"

"I'll get dressed, give me a couple minutes," Sanji said and headed towards the bedroom.

"Wait! Sanji!" Brook followed grinning. "Can I come?"

"Sure!" Sanji said over his shoulder.

"Hooray!" The musician cheered. "This will be fun! But, Sanji! Feed me first! I'm wasting away! I've turned into nothing but bones since you've been gone!"

**TBC**


	18. Chapter 18

I am really appreciative to all the people that reviewed and left encouraging notes through my little stint of writer's block. Thank you all so much. I'm sorry this chapter is a little boring, but I'm afraid I have to insert a little plot in between the sexing. But don't worry, Seme!Sanji is coming up soon. X) Please enjoy!

**Chapter 18**

Zoro grabbed a cooler as Sanji threw together several sandwiches, some fruit, chips, and a pitcher of iced tea for Zoro, Brook and himself. When Zoro mentioned Chopper probably wouldn't remember to eat before he met up with them, Sanji agreed and added a few extra sandwiches, a candy bar, and a Mountain Dew from the fridge.

"Okay, let's go," the cook said as he pulled on his jacket. "I'll drive. I don't want you to get us lost."

Zoro was busy grabbing the cooler and fumbling for the car keys, so the impact of what Sanji said didn't hit him immediately. But when the cook stopped in the doorway and turned to look at him with a stunned expression, the swordsman took a moment to think about it and his jaw almost hit the floor when he realized what his lover had just said.

"Did you just…" Zoro stared at the blond, his heart fluttering in his chest.

Sanji looked back at him with wide eyes. "Uh… I think…"

Zoro blinked a few times and then his mouth spread into an easy smile. "You remembered I have a bad sense of direction, didn't you?"

Sanji frowned and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "Um… places you've been before aren't so bad, but if it's your first time going somewhere, you'll never find it." He turned back to Zoro as a smile pulled at his lips. "You go up stairs when we say go down, and the concept of 'left' to you is completely foreign, even though you're left-handed… _Oh my God!_"

Zoro's smile turned into a full on grin. He set the cooler down and crossed the distance between them to take Sanji's hand in his. "That's another to add to the list."

Sanji's hand was stiff and he took a quick glance out the corner of his eye at Brook, but he answered Zoro with the smile still on his face. "Yeah…"

Brook sighed happily around his bite of sandwich he'd snagged from the cooler. "Ah, I'm so happy to see you two making cutesy eyes at each other again. But seriously..." Zoro and Sanji both turned to look at their friend. "If you need a few minutes, just tell me so I can go wait in the parking lot. I've already overheard more than enough gay porn for the day."

"Gah," Sanji jerked his hand from Zoro's and turned to the door. Zoro chuckled at the blush that spread across the blond's cheeks, but he said nothing. He knew the cook was going to be uncomfortable around their friends for a while, it had happened before. But he also knew that eventually, Sanji would get used to it and wouldn't hesitate in his public displays of affection forever.

"Come on, Brook." Zoro retrieved the cooler once again. "Let's go."

X x X x X

Chopper called Sanji's phone less than five minutes later. The cook checked the caller ID and handed the Blackberry to Brook so he could drive. The musician accepted happily and put the phone to his ear.

"Yohohoho! Good morning, my little friend!" Brook pressed the button for speaker phone, and leaned his elbow on the cooler. Zoro slid it into the backseat next to him.

"_Oh my God, Brook! What the hell are you doing there?!_" Chopper's voice filtered through the speaker.

Sanji slid the key into the ignition and started the engine as he listened to Chopper's outburst. Zoro watched the blond's smile widen as he backed out of the parking space. He loved the relaxed way the cook moved. He was so happy to once again have the beautiful and confident blond beside him, he wanted to stick his head out the window and scream it into the sky.

"Ah, well," Brook said nonchalantly. "I had my morning tea with Sanji, and then a quick trip down memory lane, and now I guess we're going to see a Pharaoh."

"_A WHAT?_" Chopper screeched. Zoro and Sanji both stifled their chuckles as Brook continued.

"Yes, they said a Pharaoh. Supposedly there's a Pharaoh in Seattle right now. Well, unless we are going to Egypt." The musician directed his attention to the front seat. "We're not going to Egypt are we?"

"No." Zoro held a hand over his mouth as Sanji burst out laughing behind the wheel.

"Okay," Brook said back into the phone. "We're not going to Egypt, so I can assume the Pharaoh is here. What he may be doing here though is beyond me."

"_Egypt? Brook, what the hell are you talking about? Are you high?_"

Zoro bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from losing it. Sanji, on the other hand, was wiping tears from his eyes and trying to breathe through his fits of giggles.

Brook made a face and scratched at his scalp. "I don't believe so, unless Sanji laced the tea. Sanji, did you lace the tea?"

"No," Sanji choked out.

"Hm." Brook slouched further in his seat and pulled out his small, silver cigarette case. "How unfortunate. But anyway, we really are on our way to meet someone, would you like to speak to one of the masterminds behind this mysterious excursion?"

"_Yes! Can I talk to Zoro please?_"

Zoro turned to take the phone from Brook's fingers and clicked the speaker phone off with his thumb before he set the receiver to his ear.

"Hey," Zoro said.

"Zoro, what the hell is going on?"

The smell of spice filled the car and Zoro heard Sanji twist around and ask for a clove stick.

"Sorry, Chopper." Zoro watched out the window as he spoke. "You just got off one of your sixteen's didn't you?"

"Yeah," Chopper sighed into the phone. "But my supervisor said I could go home early, so it was really only about fourteen and a half."

"Jesus, I'm glad I'm not all smart like you, otherwise I'd have to get a real fucking job and work your crazy hours."

"Shut up," Chopper mumbled into the phone. "Don't think you'll make me happy by saying things like that to me, asshole."

Zoro laughed and turned to Sanji as the blond tapped gently on his leg.

"Tell Chopper that the place we're going is near Green Lake. We'll meet him at the soccer fields so he can eat something."

"You hear that, Chopper?" Zoro asked.

"Yeah," Chopper replied. "I can be there in about fifteen minutes. You said you have food?"

"Yeah, Sanji has lunch for you."

"Oh my God," Chopper moaned into the phone. "I love you guys."

"We love you too, Chopper." Zoro smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "We'll see you in a bit."

After a few short protests, Chopper finally submitted to the endearment and hung up. Zoro reached over and slid the phone back into Sanji's pocket. The blond looked at him out the corner of his eye and smirked around his clove stick.

"So, for real you guys," Brook said seriously from the backseat. "Who are we meeting today? At least tell me that so I'm not totally unprepared."

Sanji rested his elbow on the window sill and took a long drag from the clove.

"You know the whole story with Kaya and Usopp?"

"Sort of," Brook answered.

"Okay, well, basically we went to Kaya's house yesterday and met the infamous boyfriend."

"No shit?" Brook leaned forward and rested his arms on both Sanji and Zoro's seats.

"Yeah," Zoro added, "and apparently, he's not really even the boyfriend. He introduced himself as 'Kaya's fiancé."

"Oh snap!" The bony musician screeched in Zoro's ear. "You're kidding, right? Kaya is so into this guy that she's up and _marrying him?_"

Sanji took another drag. "It looks that way."

Brook leaned back and took a drag himself. After exhaling slowly and staring out the window for a minute, he cracked his knuckles and sat forward again.

"I don't believe it," the musician said softly. "Baby girl wouldn't do that."

Sanji nodded. "That's exactly what we were thinking."

Brook looked at Zoro, and the swordsman nodded solemnly. The musician took another moment to reflect on what his friends had just told him before he nodded and reached into the cooler for the iced tea.

"Okay, so what does this have to do with who we're meeting now?"

Sanji crushed the butt of the clove between his fingers and slipped it into the ashtray.

"We're going right now to meet the fiancé."

Zoro hid another smile behind his hand as Brook sputtered and choked on the iced tea.

"_What the hell?_" The musician shouted. "What are you guys thinking? _Are you crazy?!?_"

"Yes," Sanji and Zoro said at once.

X x X x X

Sanji sat at the picnic table backwards, his back and arms leaning on the table piece, his cigarette smoldering between his fingers. He had finished his half-sandwich and nectarine quickly, and now he sat waiting for Chopper, as Zoro and Brook stuffed their faces behind him.

The cook had been sitting for the last five minutes, trying to think through exactly how he was going to tell his friend what was going on. No doubt Chopper wasn't going to take the news very well, but Sanji was determined to get through this without making Chopper cry or scream at him.

Standing, Sanji brushed the back of his jeans and placed his cigarette between his lips. He turned to his friends, who were currently in the middle of a game of thumb wars, and slipped his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, morons," Sanji said good-naturedly.

"Mm?" Zoro and Brook looked up at him.

Sanji smirked, amused that the two of them both responded to 'morons' without complaint. "I'm gonna go look for Chopper. He said he'd be here in fifteen, and it's been almost half an hour."

"Okay," Zoro said as he shoved a chip into his mouth. The two went back to their game after that, forgetting Sanji completely.

Sanji chuckled and headed toward the path.

Green Lake's path is made up of two lanes, one for pedestrians, and one for bicycles, roller skates, and other wheeled unmotorized vehicles. It surrounds the entire lake, stretching a total of 2.8 miles. During the spring and summer, the area is quite popular and crowded with people seeking exercise and relaxation; and even in the winter, it is rare to see the path without a few lone joggers or dog walkers. As Sanji walked the path, he thought back to high school, when he would bring the girls here. They would complain that the gym was too crowded and filled with stinky, sweaty men, and would he please- oh please- take them to Green Lake so they could walk the path? Sanji was the first of his friends, besides Ace of course, to get his license, so he was always nominated to drive Nami, Vivi, and occasionally Kaya around the city.

Oh, and it had been such a chore! Chauffeuring three beautiful women around, carrying their bags as they shopped, refilling their drinks at the fast food places they frequented, and waiting outside the dressing rooms as they tried on clothes! _Oh, Sanji, does this look good? Sanji, does this skirt make me look fat?_

Sanji chuckled again and puffed on his cigarette. It was kind of all turned around now, wasn't it? He was the one that led Zoro around by the nose now, wasn't he? The swordsman probably didn't fall all over himself to placate Sanji's every whim, but Sanji would bet that if he asked Zoro, his lover would carry things for him, or get up to refill his drinks. That meant that Sanji was kind of the girl, but did that really matter? Did he really care all that much?

It was just… the thought of cool, handsome, manly Zoro, going out of his way to do things like that… for him… it would be really appealing… really… sweet. Something that the swordsman could do that made him completely Sanji's. A side of the Zoro Roronoa that was accessible only to him.

The cook felt his cheeks burning and shook his head. There was plenty of time to daydream about his relationship with Zoro and marvel at its infinite possibilities, but that time was definitely not now. Now he had to find Chopper; they had a mission.

Backtracking towards the parking lot, Sanji looked for signs of his sandy-haired friend. For as smart as the kid was, he had a tendency to get lost just like Zoro. Sanji had often wondered if people that used a lot of their brains for things like being a doctor, or in Zoro's case, being a fantastic fighter, just didn't have enough room in their skulls for things like an internal compass. Maybe Zoro and Chopper both had difficulty finding places and were easily turned around because simple and unimportant things like direction just fell out of their heads?

Speaking of Zoro and his complete failure at direction… If Sanji remembered that little part of the swordsman, did that mean he was going to remember more? If his memory was indeed coming back, was it going to come back in little bits like that? It would be nice if everything would just come back all at once, like in the movies when the hero gets his head knocked again and has everything come crashing back in a few quick flashes. But it was more likely, with Sanji's luck, that his old life was going to come back slowly; piece by agonizing piece.

If it came back at all…

The cook sighed and puffed on his smoke as he strolled along the path under the thick tree branches. Not far from the edge of the park, Sanji spotted a small group of people, and scanned the crowd for sandy, curly hair. The blond hadn't expected to actually find Chopper in the group, so when he spotted the head of hair he was looking for, he nearly fell over himself in his abrupt stop.

Surprised, and a little worried, Sanji made his way over to the crowd, but when he saw what was happening, he relaxed his shoulders and grinned fondly.

Chopper's hands were lightly prodding the leg of a small girl wearing roller blades. The kid had a scrape on her knee, and bruising in a few places along her shin.

"Just wiggle your toes for me, Katty," Chopper's gentle, but firm voice was saying as Sanji stopped at the edge of the crowd to watch. The cook had snuffed out his cigarette a ways back, and he pushed the butt into his pocket.

"That's good," Chopper was saying. "You're ankle is going to be fine, just have your mom put some ice on it, and--is this your daddy?" The young doctor pointed to a chubby man leaning intently over the two.

The little girl, Katty, her face streaked with dirt and tear tracks, nodded slowly and her pigtails bobbed.

"Okay," Chopper continued as he pulled an ace bandage from his backpack. "Your daddy is gonna carry you to that building over there, that's a community center, and then he's gonna put this on you once you've iced it."

The little girl's father scooped her up, and thanked Chopper profusely. A woman, Sanji assumed she was Katty's mother, took the bandage hesitantly.

"Are you sure this is all right?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Chopper answered. "I have a million of them. Now, go find ice. Go take care of your daughter. Shoo, shoo."

As the crowd dispersed, Sanji pulled another cigarette from his pack, and watched with glowing pride as Chopper tried to stay quiet as people patted him on the back and told him good job. The poor kid's face was crimson, but he took the compliments better than Sanji had ever seen. This must be the professional Chopper that he and his friends so rarely got to experience.

"Well well," Sanji said teasingly around his smoke. "Chopperman strikes again. The city is safe."

Chopper whirled and pointed a finger harshly at Sanji's face.

"Shut up, asshole! She fell like, right in front of me and I was positive I heard something snap! It was probably just the strap on her skate, but I had to be sure! Nothing you say will make me feel good about it!"

Chopper was so red he was almost purple by the end of his rant, but Sanji was full on laughing as his friend clamped a hand over his own mouth to keep his smile hidden.

"Seriously, Sanji, your compliments don't make me happy."

"Yeah, okay," Sanji turned and headed back towards the picnic grounds. "Come get food."

It took a few seconds for Sanji to realize that Chopper wasn't following. The cook turned back around and slid his hands back into his pockets. Chopper was standing in the same place he had left him, looking at the ground uncertainly with his hands absently fingering the bottom of his jacket.

"Chopper?" Sanji asked as he backtracked. "What's up?"

"I, um…" Chopper murmured, fumbling with his backpack and pulling the straps over his shoulders.

Sanji bent slightly to be on eye level with his shorter friend.

"Mm?" The cook raised his eyebrows.

Chopper didn't say another word. He just stepped forward and pressed himself into Sanji's chest. His thin arms came around the cook's waist and he gave his friend a good squeeze. Sanji was startled, but things like this weren't so uncommon with Chopper.

The blond put a hand on Chopper's shoulder. "Hey you…"

"Never mind, it doesn't matter," Chopper said into Sanji's shirt, "I'm just… I'm happy for you guys… I'm glad you figured things out."

Sanji smiled and put his arms around his smaller friend. He nosed the soft, brown hair and whispered quietly. "Me too…"

After a long moment, Chopper finally let go and wiped at his eyes.

"So what's happening? And where's my food?"

Sanji laughed and pulled the younger man behind him back the way he had come. Chopper smiled and fell into step beside the cook.

"Chopper…" Sanji said carefully.

"Hm?" Chopper replied.

Sanji rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. "So, Zoro and I aren't just out today for fun… we're kinda meeting someone."

Chopper rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I got that much from Brook. What the hell was he talking about anyway? A Pharaoh? He's totally smoking crack."

Sanji snickered and crushed the cigarette, adding the butt to the collection in his pocket. He needed to find a trash can soon before he started to smell really bad.

"That's our fault- mine and Zoro's. We were messing with him. Anyway… I'm glad you're here today, because I think you need to be here for this conversation."

Chopper's steps slowed and he looked up at Sanji curiously.

"What? Why? Sanji what are you talking about?"

Sanji sighed and turned to his friend.

"We're meeting Chaka right now…"

Chopper stopped dead, all expression slipping from his face. Sanji had never seen the younger man look like he did then. He had been expecting some kind of negative reaction, but not one so strange and frightening.

The young doctor shifted his backpack on his shoulders absently and took a slow breath.

"What the hell are you talking about, Sanji?"

Sanji started nervously searching for his pack. Something about talking to Chopper and making the little guy angry was almost like telling your mother something that was going to get you grounded. The cook tried to light a cigarette and explain to Chopper what was going on without scuffing his feet like a ten year old.

"We-- me and Zoro, went to go see Kaya after we left Usopp's house yesterday. We just wanted-- well, I just wanted to hear her side of the story because no one really had tried talking to her since it happened I guess. And I don't even remember it, so I figured I could get a more unbiased outlook on the whole thing."

Chopper continued to stare at Sanji with that blanket expression; a depth of emotion swarming underneath his calm, just waiting for the right moment to break free in a storm of tears. Sanji saw his friend's underlying anguish and continued with his story quickly.

"Anyway, she wasn't there, or that's what her mom said, but Chaka was. He was all puffed up and everything, kinda defensive and stuff, but it was weird."

"Weird like how?" Chopper asked quietly.

"Well he…" Sanji thought about it for a moment. "It's like… he acted like he was hiding something. But not something bad, more like he really wanted to tell us something, but he couldn't. And what made it even weirder was that his mom was standing over the balcony, looming over us kind of like this… this…"

"Like the evil sorceress from _Willow_?" Chopper muttered.

"Ah," Sanji brightened, "You've seen her! Yes, exactly like that."

"She's not his mom," Chopper explained. "She's his stepmom, and she really is an evil bitch. She married Chaka's dad for the money, and she's really mean to Kaya and Vivi and all them. She's got her hands in all their financials and is slowly bringing down the family. I'd be sad about it if I didn't hate the guy so much."

"I didn't know you knew him." Sanji made a face.

Chopper shrugged. "I don't really. I just met him once. He's always hanging around with Pell, Vivi's older brother. He told me all about it. But that was a long time ago, I don't really remember it."

Sanji nodded. "Well, the whole thing was kinda fucked up. When we left, Chaka slipped a note into Zoro's hand giving us an address where to meet today. So here we are…"

Chopper looked at the ground, his brow furrowed as he thought through all the new information.

"Do you um…" Chopper shoved his hands into his pockets. "Do you think maybe… it's not real? Like maybe there's some kind of… I don't know… rich people thing or something going on, and Kaya isn't really in love with Chaka?"

"Like blackmail?" Sanji asked.

"Yeah," Chopper shrugged. "Something like that."

"That's what I'm hoping," Sanji answered. "I didn't get a bad vibe off this guy at all. He was actually kind of cool. A lot like Zoro in a lot of ways so… I don't know. I might be just fishing for whatever I want, but… I'm trying to be positive cause I still don't think Kaya would just up and leave Usopp-- let alone cheat on him."

Chopper nodded again, his face becoming a little harder and less agonized. He finally looked up at Sanji and set his jaw in determination.

"Okay…" he said quietly. "Okay… I'll try to be positive too."

Sanji nodded back and clapped his friend gently on the back.

"All right, let's go eat."

Brook was the first to spot them as they left the path and headed to the tables. The musician waved to Chopper and tossed him a sandwich as he sat down beside Zoro. Chopper dug into his food without saying anything, and stared straight ahead as if deep in thought.

Zoro put his hand on his little friend's head and ruffled his hair.

"Sanji tell you?"

Chopper nodded as Sanji sat down next to Brook.

"Yeah," Chopper said softly. "I'm good though. He explained the whole thing."

Zoro squeezed his shoulder and leaned both elbows on the table.

"Okay," he said, turning to Sanji. "Where is this place we're going?"

Sanji pulled the small sip of paper from his pocket and reread the address.

"Well," Sanji answered, "that's what I don't get. The address is sort of..."

"Sort of what?" Brook asked, finishing the iced tea.

"It doesn't really exist." Sanji made a face.

"Huh?" Zoro and Chopper said at once.

"This says seven four zero four Greenlake Street," Sanji continued, "but there's no Greenlake Street or Way or whatever in Seattle. I brought us to the park because it was the closest I could get, but I'm not sure how we're going to find him when we don't have an exact address."

Zoro started stuffing things back into the cooler, and Chopper grabbed his can along with the garbage, and threw it in a nearby trashcan.

"So… what do we do?" Brook asked.

"I really have no idea," Sanji murmured.

Zoro sat on the table and put his feet on the bench. He rolled his shoulders inside his leather jacket and popped his neck.

"What the fuck, man," the swordsman scowled. "I'm ready to smoke one of Sanji's cigarettes right about now."

"Reds?" Brook made a face. "Disgusting. If you want a smoke, I'll give you a clove."

"Cloves are actually worse on your lungs than regular cigarettes," Chopper piped up.

"Serious?" Sanji asked, surprised.

"Yes," Chopper replied, "if you're smoking true Indonesian brands, like I believe Brook does. The level of nicotine and tar in their Kretek mixture is way higher than American manufactured cigarettes."

Sanji bit his lip to keep from grinning like an idiot.

"Chopper, is there anything you _don't_ know?"

Chopper shrugged. "Yeah, sure. But nothing that matters."

The three older men shared a laugh as Chopper hid his grin in the collar of his jacket. Their mirth was cut off however when Sanji's phone went off. The blond startled and pulled it out of his pocket.

"Who the hell is calling you right now?" Zoro asked.

"No idea," Sanji answered. "ID says 'unavailable'." He shrugged his shoulders at Zoro's confused expression and pressed the send button.

"Hello?"

"_You're here earlier than I expected_," came a deep voice through the receiver.

Sanji's eyes almost bulged out of his head. "_Chaka?!_" He choked. Zoro's expression turned to one of shock, and Chopper shot to his feet. "What the fuck? How the hell do you have my number?"

"_I'll explain later_," Chaka answered. "_The address for where we are, is seven four oh four Ashworth."_

Sanji's brain tried desperately to keep up with the situation. "Hey, wait a sec, how do you know where we are? And who the fuck is 'we'?"

"_I can see you from the living room window_," Chaka's voice sounded amused.

Sanji did a full three hundred and sixty. He took note of every building and apartment complex in his line of vision before he answered.

"If this is some kind of fucked up game, I'm not enjoying it, asshole."

Zoro came up beside Sanji and whispered into his free ear.

"We gonna have trouble?"

Sanji turned to him and shook his head. "Who is 'we'?" He said into the phone.

He heard Chaka laugh softly before the other man answered.

"_Just get over here. We're waiting_."

"Hey, what the fuck! What makes you think--"

The line went dead.

"Son of a bitch!" Sanji pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at the flashing 'call ended' for a few seconds. He felt Zoro's hand on his shoulder, but he was so confused with everything jumbled around in his head, that he didn't respond right away.

"Sanji," Zoro said carefully. "Sanji, what the hell?"

Sanji finally looked up at his lover and frowned.

"I feel like I'm in _Die Hard_ or some shit."

"What?" Chopper ran a hand through his hair, his expression was confused and frightened.

"No, seriously," Sanji continued. "If he calls back in a minute and tells me there's a fucking bomb I have to diffuse somewhere here in the park, I'm totally NOT gonna be surprised."

Brook actually laughed, but Zoro kept his hand firmly on Sanji's shoulder and stared at him with an unreadable look.

"What's happening?" Zoro asked.

Sanji shrugged. "Seven four zero four Ashworth is where they are. They-- whoever the fuck 'they' are, are waiting for us. Let's get our shit back in the car and go fuck 'em up."

Zoro nodded. "Sounds good."

**TBC**


	19. Chapter 19

Hokay, so I'm sorry for not replying to any of your reviews on the last chapter. It was all very daunting, so I thought this might make up for it! xD I worked long hours into the night on this for you guys! Hope you like it! Oh, and sorry it's getting corny, but I really can't help it. It's so much fun. *grins*

Beta is the awesome Liralen-san. X)

**Chapter 19**

A high wooden fence surrounded the property of seven four zero four. Sanji and Zoro stood at the open entry, glaring up at the two-story villa surrounded by naked maples. The place was nicer than those around it, but had undergone extensive work and remodeling. Chopper and Brook leaned against the fence, out of sight from whomever was watching from inside.

Sanji took his sweet time finishing his cigarette. He glanced at all the windows, daring Chaka to be there, hoping the asshole would show himself so he could flip the bastard off. The cook hadn't let any man order him around since he worked under his father; and Chaka was heading quickly onto the list of men who had tried, but ended up getting his ass kicked.

"You guys just stay here," Zoro said to Chopper and Brook. "This thing is just way too fucking weird. I don't want you guys getting involved until we have a better grasp on what the hell is going on."

"But they already know we're here." Chopper looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah, well." Zoro smiled and ruffled the younger man's hair. "We're gonna need someone to call Ace if the house opens us up and swallows us or something."

"Now that would be a sight." Brook scratched his chin. "I wish I'd brought a video camera."

Sanji crushed his butt between his fingers and tossed it into the dirt; he didn't care about littering in front of this house. He touched Zoro on the shoulder and started up the concrete pathway to the front door. The swordsman followed, falling in beside Sanji and folding his arms over his chest as they stood on the doorstep. Sanji rang the doorbell and glanced at the small stone falcon sitting above them on the stone arch.

The cook felt fingers brush against the inside of his palm, and he twisted his wrist to grip Zoro's hand. Sanji looked down and felt some of the tension that had been building inside him subside. He met the swordsman's eyes and smiled.

"I'm okay, Zoro," he said quietly.

"I know…" Zoro leaned forward and whispered in a mock child's voice. "I was just holding your hand cause I was scared."

Sanji pulled his hand away and smacked Zoro on the shoulder, catching the other man off-balance.

"Shut the fuck up!" The cook laughed. "Don't make fun of me!"

Zoro chuckled and folded his arms across his chest again, but his face became serious as they heard footsteps ascending stairs and a deadbolt clicking back.

As the door opened, a pleasantly round girl with dark red hair and a spattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks appeared.

"Hello," she said sweetly, "I'm Sarah, the housekeeper. Come on inside, they're waiting for you."

As the girl stepped back, Sanji and Zoro exchanged a quick confused glance. They had not expected a cute girl with a pleasant disposition to invite them so sweetly into the house. Thrown off guard, but not letting the situation deter them, they stepped lightly inside.

"You can take off your jackets and hang them there if you like." Sarah pointed to a wooden coat rack. "I'm late for class, so I'm really sorry to just let you in and then jet."

Sanji shook his head, leaving his apprehension aside for a moment to remember his manners.

"It's all right, Sarah." Sanji took the housekeeper's coat from her hands and held it up as she slipped her arms in the sleeves. "You've been very hospitable, I-- we appreciate it."

Sarah smiled up at him, and pushed her bangs to the side. "You look very good, Sanji. I'm glad to see you're better."

Zoro stiffened beside him, but Sanji put a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Thank you very much," he replied.

He opened the door for Sarah, and closed it softly after she exited. When he turned back around, Zoro was scowling at him.

"What?" Sanji asked.

"How the hell does she know you?" Zoro placed his hands on his hips.

Sanji shrugged. "I have no idea."

Zoro's eyes narrowed, but Sanji shook his head and turned toward the wide staircase leading down into the lower level foyer.

"Do we just head on in?" the swordsman muttered.

Sanji slipped his hands in his pockets and was about to move down the stairs, when he heard footsteps approaching. He and Zoro both froze, their hackles rising. Both men recognized the heavy tread.

Chaka appeared from around a corner and stood in the doorway. He looked different than before, more casual. His designer slacks and polo were gone, replaced with ratty jeans and a _Pink Floyd_ t-shirt. His manner was more relaxed as well. He held himself without the defensive stance, hands in his pockets and his weight leaning to one side. He stood for a moment, just regarding his guests before he sighed softly and leaned against the doorframe.

"Hi," he said.

Sanji could feel the battle-ready aura waver and slide off Zoro, almost as if it were a tangible entity. The swordsman was still on the defensive, but he was significantly less dangerous than he had been a moment ago. It was obvious that Chaka had no intention of starting any kind of confrontation. His manner was unobtrusive, almost apologetic.

The cook said nothing and slowly descended the stairs. Zoro followed his lead and stayed a few steps behind him, taking a classic watchman's position; acting as a backup.

A few moments of silence resonated through the foyer as Sanji and Zoro faced off with the large man. Sanji quickly grew impatient however and started tapping the toes of his shoes on the ground.

"So…" Sanji tilted his head to the side. "What the fuck?"

Chaka raised a heavily muscled arm and tucked a lock of hair behind his head. He sighed again and folded his arms across his broad chest.

"I don't even know where to start…"

Sanji growled softly and pulled his cigarette pack from his pocket. Thinking that he probably wouldn't be able to light up in the house, he settled with rolling an unlit sick over his lips and then sliding it behind his ear.

"Start with why we're here and why all the secrecy," the cook said quietly. "Then go ahead and move into the whole situation with you and Kaya."

Chaka ran a hand over his mouth. "We're here because this is my home. No one bothers me here, especially members of my family I am trying to avoid."

Zoro made a sound from behind Sanji and took a few steps forward.

"An inheritor of multi-millions and you live in a two-story in _Greenlake_?" The swordsman scoffed. "It's kinda hard to believe."

Chaka nodded, acknowledging the strangeness. "It's a complicated situation, and not relevant to our discussion. The secrecy, however, is." The large man pushed off the doorframe and took a few steps back. "As for Kaya and me… well, that's complicated too."

Sanji turned to share a look with Zoro. The swordsman met his eye and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, '_I don't fucking know_'. The blond turned back to Chaka, frustration starting to churn inside his stomach and burned in his chest.

"So…" Sanji said. "You gonna explain?"

Chaka held up a hand and turned to speak to someone down the hall.

"Come out," he said softly. "I need you."

Sanji felt Zoro's body heat against his arm and turned to see the swordsman close at his side, glaring intently at Chaka. The cook trailed his fingers over Zoro's forearm, silently letting the swordsman know he was there; thanking him for standing beside him.

"It's all right," Chaka said, even quieter. "We have to get this straightened out."

Chaka reached out, and a slender hand met his palm. From around the corner, stepped a tall, pale man with long blond hair falling in soft straight layers past his chin. He was thin but muscular, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. His features were perfect, almost feminine, with high cheekbones and small, peach-colored lips. The man's eyes were stunning; black as night, and shone like a fresh coat of paint on a car hood. As those eyes regarded Sanji with a falcon's gaze, memory slapped the cook in the face.

"P-Pell!" Sanji exclaimed.

Vivi's brother let out a soft breath and turned to Chaka, asking a silent question. The larger man nodded and let go of his hand. Pell then turned back to Sanji and took a few steps forward, closing the distance between himself and the cook.

"Hi, Sanji," Pell said in his breathy voice.

Sanji was speechless. The last time he had seen Pell, he had still been in high school. The guy had been wearing Armani and had come to the charity function in a Bentley. This Pell… this Pell was a _goth!_ His shirt was long-sleeved, striped black and white like an old school prison uniform, and frayed at the neck and wrists. Chains hung from the belt loop to the back pocket of his black jeans, a studded collar sat around his neck, and around his eyes was a thin coat of black eyeliner. _Eyeliner_!

"Um…" Sanji tripped over words before they even got to his mouth. "Hey, Pell… You look… different."

_Hot_… Sanji thought to himself. _Just admit to yourself that he looks hot. He's like a doll, exactly the same size as you, but a doll nonetheless. Look at those eyes and that hair! How did you miss how attractive he was before!_

"I'm so glad to see you're okay," Pell said, and hesitantly moved forward to slide his arms around the cook's neck.

Sanji was caught off guard, but didn't have any reason to dislike or be threatened by Pell, so he returned the hug awkwardly.

"Uh… thanks…" he murmured.

Pell sniffed. "I would have come to see you in the hospital, but Kaya said to wait."

Sanji frowned and pushed Pell gently away. "Why wait? And… why would you want to come see me? I haven't seen you in years."

Pell smiled sadly and looked at the ground. "You were giving me Savat lessons for a couple months before you got together with Zoro. We hung out once in a while after that."

Sanji felt his cheeks redden with embarrassed. He kicked himself mentally for being so callous.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Pell. I don't remember about a year before the crash."

Pell nodded. "I know, Vivi told me. I'm so sorry."

Sanji shrugged, confused as to why making Pell sad made him feel like so much shit.

"It's okay," the cook continued, "I'm working on getting it back, little by little."

Pell looked up again, a soft smile starting to tug at his lips. "I'm glad."

Zoro cleared his throat and Sanji turned to look at his lover. A deep scowl pulled the swordsman's features down, and he glared at Pell with angry eyes.

"I didn't know you were friends with Pell, Sanji."

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Neither did I."

Zoro turned his glare to Sanji and the cook felt his heart beat heavily against his chest. He didn't like that angry stare directed at him.

"But I didn't know anything about it," the swordsman growled. "I didn't even know you gave him lessons. And you hung out with him? When did you go hang out with him? Why wouldn't you tell me something like that?"

Sanji's beating heart started to ache. He didn't know how to respond because he didn't know the answer. Even though Pell was extremely familiar with him, Sanji had never cheated on anyone before in his life, and he was positive that he hadn't been cheating on Zoro. But, unfortunately since he couldn't remember, there was no way to reassure his lover at all.

The cook reached out and gripped Zoro's arm. "I'm sure I had a good reason…" The cook pleaded with his eyes for the swordsman to believe him.

"He did," Chaka said from the doorway. "Believe me, Zoro, he had a good reason."

Zoro's attention left Sanji to glare at Pell once more before he turned to Chaka.

"It's time for you to fucking explain things." Zoro's voice was hard. He moved out of Sanji's grip to follow Chaka into the other room. Sanji watched the swordsman's back, crying out inside, wishing there was something he could say, something he could do to prove that he would never go behind Zoro's back unless it was life or death.

"Um, Sanji?" Pell pulled the cook from his thoughts.

"Mm?" Sanji replied.

"Maybe we should go get Chopper and Brook? They've been waiting outside for almost half an hour."

"Oh, shit. Yeah, just a sec."

X x X x X

The situation, as Sanji retrieved Chopper and Brook from outside and brought his two friends into the living room, was so intense, the cook wanted to start laughing manically. Even if it was only to ease the tension in his cramped shoulders.

Chopper came inside and moved straight to the couch to next to Zoro. He didn't say a single word, just sat and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. Sanji regarded his small friend, intrigued at the look in Chopper's eyes. The little doctor's gaze had never left Chaka from the moment he had entered the room.

Chaka noticed it as well, and after making polite introductions with Brook, sat down across from Zoro and retrieved a bottle of water from the coffee table.

"You must be Chopper," he said casually.

"Fuck you," Chopper spat. "Don't talk to me."

Zoro turned, looking stunned at their little friend. Sanji froze as well, his breath caught in his throat. He had never expected to hear those words or that tone come from Chopper. There was so much anger and sadness woven into that short phrase, Sanji couldn't believe it. Chopper was always polite, always trying to smile, always the mediator. To hear that usually sweet voice twisted by so much hatred made Sanji's heart ache.

Chaka took a drink and set the bottle back down. He rested his hands on his knees and threaded his fingers together under his chin.

"Vivi said you hated me, but I really had no idea."

"You're damn right," Chopper ground his teeth. "You have absolutely no idea."

Chaka sighed. "I'm sorry that things happened this way, that they turned out like this. I never meant to--"

Chaka sentence was cut off as Chopper shot to his feet. His hands slammed down on the coffee table and he hissed as his anger drove him forward.

"You never meant to _what_? Ruin Kaya's relationship? Steal her away from the man that loves her more than anything in the whole world?! Ostracize her from her friends, so that she was afraid to come see Sanji after he woke up?" Sanji watched as Chopper's voice rose, his face reddening as rage pulsed through him. The cook wanted to step forward and pull Chopper away, but the situation was so unreal, that his brain didn't process it right away. He felt the maniacal laughter building in his chest ready to break out, his sanity threatening to evaporate in one quick detonation.

"Do you have _any_ idea what you've put us through?" Chopper leaned forward, his face inches from Chaka's. "_Do you have any idea what you've done to Usopp!?_"

Chaka lowered his hands and met Chopper's vehement stare.

"I'm sorry, Chopper. I do know how much I've hurt you and Usopp."

"_Shut up_!" Chopper barked. "_It's too late to apologize_!!"

"Chopper, I'm not with Kaya."

"_DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE!_"

Chaka sat forward in more of a defensive stance. Sanji reacted and moved closer.

"I swear, Chopper," Chaka growled, "I never touched Kaya like that!"

"I SAID SHUT UP YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Chopper raised his first to strike Chaka, but his arm only made it halfway. Zoro was there in an instant, his arms around his small friend's waist, and he pulled the doctor back with him onto the couch. Chopper flailed and kicked in Zoro's grasp, tears streaming down his face.

Sanji had moved as well. He stood in front of Chaka, nose to nose. Anger and frustration slid off Chaka in waves, but Sanji stood coolly, his hands in his pockets, his feet and his body ready. The darker man was several inches taller than the cook, but it did not intimidate Sanji in the slightest.

"You touch him," Sanji said quietly, "and I'll kill you. Do you understand?"

Chaka growled in Sanji's face. "I'm trying to explain to him!"

"Well, you suck at it," Sanji snapped.

Chaka pressed in close to Sanji and the cook tilted his head, daring the taller man to try anything.

"I'm not like that with Kaya," Chaka said, his breathing starting to even out. "I swear."

"I don't wanna hear it!" Chopper cried from Zoro's lap. The swordsman still had his arms around the smaller man's waist, and he was mumbling into Chopper's ear.

"He's…" Pell's soft voice cried out from behind Chaka. "He's telling the truth!"

"Don't say anything, Pell!" Chaka barked over his shoulder.

Pell growled deep and Sanji saw the pale man place his hands on his hips as he shouted.

"_He's not with Kaya, because he's with me!_"

The room fell silent. Sanji gawked around Chaka's shoulder at the blond. Chopper's cries stopped altogether, and Zoro's murmuring ceased. Pell made a soft noise and slapped a hand over his mouth. His eyes were red and shining as he turned his gaze back to Chaka.

"E-excuse me?" Sanji stuttered.

Chaka's eyes closed and he let out a long breath.

"Pell…"

"What was I supposed to do?" Pell glared. "Look how messed up this situation is! It started with something so simple, and now so many hearts and lives have been broken! Why do we deserve to be happy and no one else?" Pell moved around the couch and grabbed Chaka's arm. "What about Kaya? Huh? We both know she loves Usopp to the ends of the earth, but because of this she's made him think she cheated on him! How is that fair?"

Chaka turned to Pell and his face softened. "Life isn't fair, babe."

Sanji backed away slowly, intrigued, but not wanting the conversation to end. He was confused, but he was sure he would get some sense from someone. Even if he had to beat it out of them.

Pell looked up into Chaka's eyes. "I already said I'd give it up… I'll give it up for her… for her to be happy. I can't stand seeing her like this anymore. That's why we called them here in the first place."

Chaka opened his mouth to say something, but Chopper's voice interrupted him.

"Wait…" the little doctor whispered in a voice that had gone hoarse, tears still making their way down his flushed face. "Wait, you said… Kaya still loves Usopp?"

Pell and Chaka both turned and nodded slowly to the younger man.

"Yes, she does," Pell said quietly. "More than anything or anyone in the whole world. And that's why we're in this mess."

Chopper let out a few short sobbing breaths. He fell back into Zoro's hold, and closed his eyes.

"Oh God… Thank God…" he whispered.

Zoro held him, and brushed his hair out of his eyes. The younger man went limp in his arms, his head lolling to one side.

"Woa, is he okay?" Sanji asked, moving closer to assist, but not actually sure what he was going to do.

"I think so," Zoro said. "I think he just passed out.

"Oh my God!" Pell exclaimed. "Do you want to lay him down in our bed?"

Zoro nodded. "That might be best. He just got off a shift. He hasn't slept in a couple days."

"Here, come with me," Chaka said quietly as he moved out into the hallway. "I'll show you where it is."

As Zoro stood, holding Chopper like he weighed nothing, Sanji squeezed his arm and backed away, letting the larger man past him to follow Chaka.

Brook, who had sat in a nearby armchair watching the entire demonstration, completely silent and entirely amused, raised a bony finger and chuckled.

"I vote that after such happenings, we all have a drink… and maybe a smoke."

Sanji and Pell looked at the man sitting before them and nodded in agreement.

"That's the best fucking idea you've had in your life, Brook." Sanji grabbed the cigarette from behind his ear, and made for the kitchen.

"Hm, I don't know," Brook stood lazily and stretched his long limbs. "I think the thing with those twin blondes and the chicken in Germany was a pretty good decision too."

"What?!" Sanji gawked.

"Nothing, let's go."

X x X x X

Zoro laid Chopper down on the wood-framed, four poster king. He propped the pillows and smoothed sandy-brown hair from the sweaty forehead. Chaka handed Zoro a blanket and the swordsman covered his friend gently. Chopper sighed in his sleep nuzzling against the soft fabric and Zoro's heart melted at the site.

"He's a good kid," Chaka stated.

Zoro nodded. "I worry that he doesn't take care of himself though, because he's always worried about us… about his friends. We're the only family he's got."

Chaka shook his head.

"I wouldn't. Worry about him, I mean. He cares so much for you guys, he doesn't want to give you a reason to stress over him. It's _his_ job to worry, not yours." The large man moved towards the door. "He's not fragile, not even a little bit. His ability to be open with his feelings and care about others without restraint is something I could never do-- could never even _imagine_ doing."

Zoro nodded soberly, Chaka's words ringing true in his ears.

"I think he gets some of that strength from you," Chaka continued. "You and your crazy blond friend… and that Usopp guy."

Zoro stood and put his hands in his jacket pockets. He looked over at the man standing in the doorway and smirked.

"You aren't such a bad guy, are you?"

Chaka shrugged. "I try not to be."

Zoro followed the other man out the door.

"A little bit of a pain in the ass, but not bad."

Chaka grunted and made his way back to the living room. The two men stood, looking out the sliding glass doors at the two blonds standing beside each other on the railing. Brook said something inaudible and Pell laughed, evoking a grin from Sanji.

"I'm happy for you two," Chaka said. "I'm glad you were able to get over some of your obstacles."

Zoro leaned against the back of the couch and crossed his arms. He nodded in reply, not comfortable enough with Chaka yet to be talking about his love life so casually. However, what Chaka said sparked a curiosity in the swordsman and he turned to the larger man.

"You and Pell seem to know us fairly well, especially Sanji. So, why before, at Kaya's house, did you act like you didn't know us?"

Chaka let out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's… my family…"

Zoro waited for a more in depth explanation, but none came. He was about to try and pry further, but the sliding glass door opened and the three from outside came back in. Sanji moved to his side and brushed his fingers against the skin of Zoro's hand.

"I hate to say it," the blond murmured, "but Pell's actually kind of cool."

Zoro felt a sharp pang of jealousy at hearing Sanji words. He was about to suppress it and try to bury it deep inside himself, but then a thought occurred to him… _He had every right to be jealous!_ He could be as jealous and possessive as he wanted! Sanji was his! This revelation made the swordsman's heart flutter and he could feel the corners of his mouth twisting up.

"Dude, Zoro," Sanji whispered. "You're making a really weird face."

Zoro's grin widened and he lifted his hand to brush Sanji's bangs from his eyes.

"I'm just…" he paused and reconsidered.

"It's nothing. I'm just in a good mood."

Sanji looked at him for a few seconds before he shook his head and turned to lean against the back of the couch. "Okay." His arm was warm. Every place the two made contact sent a pleasant tingle through Zoro's body. The swordsman again marveled at how Sanji could undo him so thoroughly without even trying.

Chaka sat down at the kitchen table and Pell moved to the fridge, offering beer and coffee. Brook accepted the coffee, and Zoro and Sanji both partook in the offered alcohol. Zoro opened the bottle and downed the half the contents in one swallow.

"So," the swordsman said, "we gonna hear the whole story now?"

Chaka nodded slowly and glanced at Pell.

"You start." The cook sat beside his lover at the table, across from Brook. He sipped his coffee and looked expectantly at the larger man.

Chaka sighed and folded his hands together. It was obvious to Zoro that the dark-skinned man was uncomfortable with what he was about to say. If he really cared about Kaya like he said he did, he probably blamed himself for whatever was going on and felt terrible for it. Personally, Zoro didn't feel sorry for him, but he could understand the guy's feelings.

"I don't even know where to start," he said quietly. He rubbed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. "It's about money. It's all because of money."

"I knew it." Sanji stepped forward and pulled a chair out from the table. He turned and tugged on Zoro's sleeve. The swordsman complied and pulled out another, turning it around and straddling the back.

Pell shook his head. "It's _mostly_ about the money. Not entirely."

Chaka nodded and continued. "My family's business isn't completely… legal, let's put it that way."

"What?" Sanji interrupted, enthusiastically. "Like the _mob!?_ That's awesome!"

Chaka laughed. "It's not really that dramatic. My father is only a figure head, a supplier of sorts. It's not like he's don Corleone or anything."

Sanji sat forward. "Ah, but he knows the guy who is! That's cool by association!"

Chaka smiled and relaxed his shoulders. "I guess. Anyway, dad married into it. The relic dealing and authenticating my father seemingly does, didn't used to be a front; it was a legit thing for a long time. My step-mother's family recognized the benefit of having a business like that at their disposal, and suckered my dad into a marriage for appearances and profit. Dad went for it because… well, it was a lot of money to turn down, and... you just don't turn those kinds of people down. Now, the relic trading is used to ship things easily through customs. We have buyers in five or six countries overseas, and the goods are… well, you can imagine."

Sanji, Zoro, and Brook all nodded.

"I have no intention of continuing what my father is doing. I don't want to help with this trafficking or smuggling shit. I make money on my own. I have the art dealership and I do my own authentication with the archaeological society. I don't need to be a part of something corrupt like that."

Pell reached out and took Chaka's hand in his. The two shared a glance at each other and Chaka continued.

"This organization doesn't really take in outsiders unless they have something big to bring to the table, like my dad. So everything is kept within the family, makes for less likely double-crossers. People that don't continue, or get work outside of the business are considered traitors."

"Heavy," Zoro mumbled.

Chaka nodded.

"So…" Sanji chewed on his lower lip. "What does Kaya have to do with all of this?"

"Well." Chaka sat up and rubbed his eyes again. "I was told that I could leave the business if I could come up with a way to make the organization a significant amount of money. They already had an idea of how I would do it, they just played with me for a while, seeing if I could figure it out myself."

Zoro cocked his head to the side, the story becoming more and more interesting and disturbing by the second.

"So, this marriage with Kaya is their idea of a payday?" Brook asked. "A way for you to make them a 'significant amount of money' and get you out of the business?"

Chaka looked at him sadly. "Yes."

Sanji made a noise. "Fuck… I think I know where this is going."

Pell nodded. "It's not that hard to figure out."

Chaka leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I said no right away. I decided that I would rather do the business thing than get Kaya involved, but by that time, they wanted her money more than me. She said no at first, of course. She had Usopp, and she didn't want all of her inheritance going to drugs and firearms."

"Sounds like Kaya," Zoro stated.

"Yeah," Chaka agreed. "But then they told her she really didn't have a choice anymore. They tried to scare her-- threatened her and everything… but she still said no. She said she would rather die than be the cause of addicts and unnecessary deaths."

Sanji pounded the table with his fist. "Rock on, Kaya! I knew she was amazing!" The cook's face turned thoughtful. "But… wait. Why does it have to be Kaya? Pell is loaded. His dad--" he turned to the blond across the table. "Isn't your dad like, royalty or something?"

Pell nodded. "Brother of a Duke in Cyprus."

"Yeah," Sanji turned back to Chaka. "You could just marry him!"

Chaka shook his head. "You have any idea what this organization does to homosexuals?"

Sanji backed down. "Oh…"

Zoro rubbed the back of his neck, still mulling over the original problem.

"So… why, if Kaya refused even after being threatened, are you two still engaged?"

Chaka looked at the floor. Pell sat forward again, and put a hand on the larger man's shoulder. Chaka looked at him and murmured under his breath.

"They're going to kill us…"

Pell scooted forward and put his forehead against his lover's.

"It's gone too far, babe. We need their help."

Chaka sighed and closed his eyes. "I know…"

Pell sat up slowly, his hand staying steady on Chaka's arm. He turned to Sanji and Zoro with tired eyes. Zoro felt his adrenaline start to pick up at the look on Pell's face. Suddenly, he felt as if there was a fight he was missing. There was something big going on that he needed to be a part of; something that he had needed to take part in for a long time.

"When Kaya refused, even after all their threats, the boss changed his tactics."

Sanji frowned. "How so?"

"He said, if she didn't go along with it..." Pell looked back at Chaka and sighed in resignation.

"He said he was going to kill Usopp."

**TBC**


	20. Chapter 20

Soooo many great reviews! Thank you so much!! I didn't get around to replying to a lot of them and I'm sorry for that, but please know that I did read every single one and I'm very grateful for all your kind words and taking the time out to read my story and comment! xD So here's chapter 20, hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 20**

Sanji sat for several seconds before what Chaka had said actually sunk in.

_He said he was going to kill Usopp_…

The cook's skin started to crawl; his anger simmered in his gut and boiled over into his chest. He stood and gripped the table until his knuckles were bone white.

"Pell's wrong, asshole," Sanji said quietly, the heat in his gaze directed at Chaka. "I'm not gonna kill you. I'm gonna _almost_ kill you. I'm gonna get so close to fucking killing you that you'll wish you were dead. And then I'm going to take my foot and shove it so far up your--"

"Sanji," Zoro's voice interrupted him.

The cook turned and glared at the swordsman.

"What?"

Zoro unfolded his arms and pulled on Sanji's sleeve gently. "Calm down. Sit, and listen to the rest of the explanation. Flipping out's not going to do any good."

"Calm down?" Sanji straightened and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You heard what they said, right?"

"I did," Zoro answered. The swordsman looked up at Sanji through his lashes. His face was unreadable; a mask of calm and patience. How he could be like this, the cook had no idea, but his demeanor was admirable.

Sanji let out a long breath of resignation and turned his eyes toward the floor. He concentrated on lowering his heart rate, slowing his pulse. He breathed deeply, trying to calm his anger and put a hand on Zoro's shoulder to steady himself.

"Okay, okay," he said, and sat back in his chair.

Zoro's attention turned back to Chaka and Pell.

"So, this organization threatens Usopp and Kaya finally buys into the deal. She says yes to marrying you, you get everything signed over to you, and the money is theirs."

"Yes," Chaka answered. "Everything is about making money to these guys. It's all they think about; all they do."

"And kill people." Pell added.

Chaka nodded. "Yeah, and kill people."

"Why does it have to be arranged through marriage though?" Sanji asked, still angry, but controlled. "Why don't they just ask for payments? A certain sum at predetermined times or something."

"Kaya has some sort of trust fund," Chaka explained. "All her assets are inaccessible until she is married, or turns thirty. These guys are also big on secrecy; everything has to have a legitimate front."

"Yes, the marriage is a good cover," Pell added. "Kaya giving large amounts of money away to anyone for nothing would look really suspicious. Not to mention the insurance and all that."

"Under the table then?" Sanji asked.

"Too many eyes on the family's spending," Chaka shook his head. "It would never go unnoticed."

Brook chuckled. "You seem very into the idea of Kaya just giving them the money, Sanji."

Sanji made a face. "No, I'm just exhausting all aspects."

Chaka nodded. Sanji watched the lines in Zoro's face harden as the swordsman thought through all the information they had just been given.

"How long has this been going on?" Brook asked. "How long have these guys been harassing you about this? When was the idea of marriage to Kaya brought up?"

Chaka leaned back and looked at Pell. The blond man's brow furrowed thoughtfully and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know… four years ago? Three?" Pell shook his head. "I don't really remember. I think they started talking about her… two years ago? Two and a half?"

Sanji's jaw dropped. "She's been dealing with this for two and a half years!?"

Chaka sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes. The company has had their eye on her family for a long time. Her money is huge, and I mean _huge_. They wanted her long before I had come out in the open about not succeeding my father."

"So really," Zoro growled, "they might not even really care about you succeeding at all. This was all about getting Kaya and her money from the beginning."

Chaka sighed. "It's possible…"

Brook made a rude noise into his coffee mug. "So, why didn't you just get married right off the bat on paper, get the wise guys off your back, and then go back to your respective partners? If all they really care about is the money, then why does it matter if the marriage is a sham and you spend your time with other people?"

Chaka turned to him. "I asked that in the beginning, but again, it's all face. How would it look if Kaya married and then was seen with another guy? She's really high profile. Look what they do to celebrities when they're seen with people other than their spouses? She'd be shoved under the bus and discredited for everything she is. Her charities would go under, everything she's worked for would come crashing down." Chaka shook his head. "No way, I would never do that to her. We worked hard to give Usopp a reason to end it himself. And you saw the papers, no one knew why they split, it just said Usopp left. She's in the clear, and he's not affiliated at all."

Zoro nodded. "I have to admit that was a smart move."

Brook nodded also, studying the contents of his cup. "Yes… I agree… So much work to save his life… it just cost him his heart…"

Chaka looked at the musician. "Yes. I knew this would hurt him, and I'm terribly sorry for that… But a broken heart is better than being dead."

Sanji lowered his eyes to the floor, aching as he thought of Usopp's face as the young engineer told what he knew of this story. He remembered the anguish that hardened the lines around his friend's eyes, the despair that pulled his body down like a weight.

"I don't know…" Sanji whispered softly. "Is it?"

Zoro looked at Sanji, his eyes dark with a mix of pain and anger. The cook shook himself out of his dreary thoughts and leaned forward to bring his lips in close to the other man's ear.

"Two and a half years…" Sanji said softly. "Two years she's been dealing with this without asking for help from any of us. What the hell?"

"I don't know, Sanji." Zoro shook his head. "It's really fucking with my head. Why the hell didn't she come to us? Why didn't she say _anything_?"

Pell cleared his throat and Sanji turned to see the blond place his hands carefully on the table and chew on the inside of his lower lip. The cook sat stunned as he realized that Pell was actually nervous. What the hell did he need to say that would shake him up like this?

"What is it, Pell?"

"Um…" Pell slid his hands over the edge of the table and placed them back into his lap. The blond's shoulders had tensed up and he leaned his head from side to side, causing joints to softly pop. Pell looked at Chaka out the corner of his eye, but the larger man just stared calmly back at him.

"You wanted to be the one to tell him." Chaka said.

"I… I know…" Pell sighed and looked back at Sanji. "Our friendship started under strange circumstances," Pell explained. "We had met a couple times, but the first night we actually talked was at a function that Vivi was holding with Kaya." Pell frowned. "That was a really weird night. You left in the middle of the party just fuming, and later you showed back up in the parking lot pacing and claiming you were going to kill Zoro. And it wasn't the normal rival thing, it was like you really were going to kill him."

"Oh…" Sanji looked at Zoro out of the corner of his eye. "I think I know which function you're talking about…"

Zoro didn't look at him, but he couldn't hide the smirk that pulled at the corners of his mouth. Sanji kicked him in the back of the leg and the swordsman chuckled.

"Okay," Sanji sighed, "So then what?"

Pell looked down and sat forward in his chair. "Vivi said you weren't talking to anyone so don't try, but I didn't really have much choice since you were leaning on my car smoking when I tried to leave."

"You drive the Bent that night?" Sanji asked with a smirk.

Pell rolled his eyes. "No, I think I drove the Jag."

Sanji sighed. "Ah, must be rough."

"Shut up." Pell smiled. "Anyway, I have no idea why you didn't tell Zoro about us in the beginning. There was nothing to hide. You never went behind his back or anything with me--and not that I would, I've been with Chaka for almost twelve years, so..." Brook whistled across the table and Pell blushed scarlet. "But, not the point… moving on."

Sanji had always thought of Pell as aloof and even cold sometimes; but seeing him now, they way he acted with Chaka, and the easy way he was around people he considered friends, Sanji could see how he himself had fallen in a fast friendship with this agreeable man.

"There was a night after one of our sparring sessions," Pell continued, "when you came back to my place--here--to pick up a set of shin guards. Yours were kind of ratty and I offered to sell you my used ones. Kaya was here, the organization had contacted her again. They had made another 'offer', and scared her really bad. She was talking with Chaka when we walked in and you with your crazy, off the wall chivalry…" Pell rolled his eyes and looked at Zoro. "She was slightly hysterical. Sanji took one look at her and there was nothing we could do, short of killing him ourselves, to keep him from getting the whole story out of her."

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, he gets that way."

Sanji shot him a look, but turned back to Pell.

"This doesn't make any sense though. I knew everything? Then why the hell didn't I say anything? I couldn't have kept quiet about this! I would have marched right on home, scooped up Zoro, and then gone to bash in some skulls!"

Chaka smiled. "You wanted to, but Kaya made you promise not to tell anyone--specifically Zoro. She knew that the two of you would go all vigilante and get yourselves killed. She also told you about their threat to kill Usopp, and that she would never speak to you again if you tried anything."

Sanji ground his teeth and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like I would ever listen to something like that--even if it did come from a beautiful woman. There's gotta be a better reason."

Chaka shrugged his shoulders. "There is one. You flipped out when Kaya mentioned some names. You started pacing and shouting and cussing at everything. We thought you had completely lost it."

Zoro grabbed his beer off the table and took one last swallow to empty the bottle. He started to roll the glass around in his palm and glared through his eyelashes at Chaka.

"Names? Of who?"

"People in the organization," Chaka answered.

Zoro snorted. "Who could she say that Sanji would know?"

Chaka looked Zoro square in the eye and said soberly.

"Crocodile."

Sanji and Zoro both sat in silence for about three seconds before they groaned as one and cursed under their breath.

"Fucking hell," the swordsman muttered as he set the cold beer bottle against his forehead. "Okay, yeah, I probably would have flipped out too."

"See?" Pell said.

"What the fuck…" Sanji ran fingers through his hair. "I mean seriously, what the fuck? You said something about Crocodile being mafia but I really didn't take you seriously, Zoro."

"I didn't either," Zoro groaned. "They said he was x-mafia anyway. I thought it was just talk to make him sound like a big shot."

"She mentioned a few other names," Pell said, "but I don't remember any of them. Supposedly there's three or four guys at the top, working as heads of the surrounding areas, and then there's underbosses for each of them. One of those underbosses is tied up in that underground fighting thing you guys do." He turned to Chaka. "What was his name… Enear?"

"Enel," Chaka corrected.

Sanji and Zoro froze at the same moment. Zoro's sharp intake of breath made the cook turn to the swordsman. Gripping the bottle tightly in his hand, Zoro stared wide-eyed at the floor.

"Oh my God," Zoro whispered. "Oh my fucking God. He… when I talked to him before the match… he was saying something about the accident, and blackmail." The swordsman ran his free hand over his face. "Oh fuck, he even mentioned the mafia… I thought it was a joke…"

Sanji sat back in the chair. "Obviously it was a joke. He was mocking us."

Zoro shook his head. "Damnit, I really thought he was cool too."

"You talked to him?" Chaka asked. "To this Enel guy? Recently?"

"Yeah, like… a few nights ago." Sanji muttered.

Chaka and Pell sat stunned as Zoro tried to pull himself out of his thoughts.

Brook took a sip of his coffee and carefully set the mug on the table.

"So, now, getting back to the point, the situation is even more complicated. Sanji was involved right along with the rest of you, but talked into silence because of his connections."

Sanji rubbed the back of his neck with both hands. "I still don't understand why I didn't tell Zoro. I mean, yeah, this thing involves some pretty scary people, but…"

"You probably would have told Zoro if you had been given the chance," Pell offered.

Sanji looked at him. "What does that mean?"

Pell sighed. "You told us you'd hold your tongue for a week. You wouldn't say anything to Zoro until after I contacted my family overseas and got Kaya and Usopp away from all this. With them out of the picture, you knew you four would be free to damage anyone you wanted."

"Four?" Sanji frowned.

Chaka cleared his throat. "We assumed you were going to get your friends, those two crazy brothers."

"Oh, that makes sense." The cook frowned and scratched his chin. "But what happened? Why didn't we go through with the plan?"

Pell folded his arms and sighed heavily.

"Two days later, you were in a coma."

For the third time that day, Sanji felt dread coil low in his stomach. No wonder Pell had been a little hesitant about this part of the story.

"Oh my God…" Sanji whispered.

With this bit of information, it was obvious that the accident had something to do with this fiasco. He had gotten himself hurt because he had stuck his nose into his friend's business; not that it was particularly a bad thing, Sanji knew he would do it again if given the choice.

Chaka rubbed his eyes. "We thought it was a fluke for a while, just a horrid coincidence, but then we found out there was a guy in the organization that was trying to prove himself to the big shots. He was trying to climb up the ranks and he used you guys to do it. He offered his services to one of the head guys and said that he knew a way to get Kaya to cooperate. You were both supposed to die, but they underestimated you guys."

Sanji shook his head, his thoughts jumbled in his brain, but he breathed deep and focused. He absently thought about how funny it was that he had been raging mad when he had learned Usopp's life had been threatened, but when it came to himself, he was able to look at the situation with more controlled emotions.

"How do you know all these details?"

"We have an old friend in the organization," Pell explained. "He's a lower rank, and he's crazy, but he's pretty trusted so he can get us information sometimes."

Sanji dug in his pocket and palmed his lighter absently. The action of flicking the top open and closed worked as a makeshift stress reliever.

"So the guy that tried to whack us--the social climber… what's his name?" The cook asked quietly.

"Bones." Pell said.

The sound of glass shattering startled Sanji and he whirled around in his seat. Zoro stood slowly, rage surrounded him as he straightened, and blood ran from his fingertips. The swordsman had crushed the beer bottle with his hand and now a large gash split the flesh of his palm.

"Shit, Zoro!" Sanji shot to his feet. "What the hell!"

"You…" Zoro's eyes flashed and he bared his teeth at Chaka. "It was you… Because of you, my life…" Zoro's stance changed and Sanji knew things were about to get really ugly.

Chaka stood and Pell scooted back hastily. The larger man held up his hands in defense.

"You weren't lied to, Zoro! It was a partial truth! Bones wanted you out of the picture, and he knew he could help himself and the organization at the same time! The story about him out to hurt Sanji is true, it just wasn't the _whole_ story!"

"You fucking son of a bitch…" Zoro's voice was quiet, a promise of destruction hidden beneath a blanket of fierce calm.

"What the hell do you think would have happened if you had gone after them by yourself!" Chaka exclaimed. "You would have been killed, and then Sanji would have woken up without you and he would have never known you at all! We did it to protect you!"

"_You don't know what would have happened!_" Zoro roared. "_Maybe you should stop trying to protect people because you keep fucking things up!!_"

Sanji's foot connected with Zoro's chest. The cook had heard enough of the swordsman's ranting. He watched as Zoro caved in on himself, doubled over, and coughed as his hands and knees hit the floor. Sanji turned angrily and pointed to Pell.

"Get me a towel."

"There's a first aid kit in the bathroom." Pell said as he grabbed a clean dish towel and tossed it to Sanji.

Sanji caught the towel and knelt to grab Zoro's wrist. "Fucking idiot!" he whispered as he pressed the towel to the wound. "Get the hell up before you bleed all over the fucking place."

Sanji pulled the wheezing swordsman to his feet and met Chaka's eyes. The large man looked pitiful, the pain in his eyes shone through and his shoulders were slumped. The cook felt a little sorry for the other man and murmured as he took Zoro's arm roughly.

"He didn't mean that, he's just being emotional. You did what you could."

Chaka looked away and nodded.

Zoro said nothing as Sanji pulled him up and led him into the bathroom. The cook shoved the swordsman inside and pushed him to sit on the toilet. He rummaged around the shelves above the sink to find the first aid kit and placed the small, red, box on the counter. Sanji wasn't a doctor, but he knew all about small cuts and gashes on the hands. Working in a kitchen his whole life, he had his fair share of stitches in his fingers. He pulled out a disinfectant swab, a butterfly bandage, and the gauze roll from its compartment. He moved to Zoro's side and sat on the edge of the bathtub.

"You're such a gorilla," Sanji muttered as he took Zoro's hand and gently pulled the towel away. Blood oozed from the cut and the cook sighed. "You tell me flipping out's not going to do any good, and then you go and slice your hand open and scare the living bejesus out of our only source of information! And this is gonna need fucking stitches. Great."

"We can just wake up Chopper…" Zoro's voice had softened. He sat with a blank expression on his face, staring at a spot somewhere around Sanji's knees. "I'd rather do that then go to the hospital. I hate the hospital…"

Sanji carefully cleaned around the gash and inspected the wound for lingering shards of glass. When he was satisfied, he closed the cut with the butterfly bandage and then carefully wrapped the swordsman's hand in the gauze. The cook's mind raced as he worked, but for once, his mouth was quiet.

Zoro's voice was unexpected, but welcomed. As the swordsman spoke, Sanji found the tension in his shoulders easing. The soft rumble of Zoro's baritone soothed his nerves and calmed the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

"I've lived for an entire year thinking that what happened to you was my fault... I've been tearing myself apart every day--every night, thinking that you almost died because of my dream, because of my ambition to beat Hawk… my arrogance. Every time I picked up my swords, I would think about that moment in the car. That moment that I saw you covered in blood and your legs…" Zoro's free hand rubbed circles into his forehead. "That one fucking moment when I was sure you were dead…"

Sanji's chest tightened, as it had been doing more and more often since he had been with Zoro. He reached up and took the swordsman's hand in his. He kissed the calloused fingertips and leaned his forehead against his lover's. He wished that he could take all of Zoro's pain away. If he could use the void in his memories to make room for all the horrible memories and things Zoro had seen and been through, to take that pain away and take it in himself, he would do it in a heartbeat. He owed it to the swordsman for standing so faithfully beside him. Sanji realized at that moment he would gladly do that for this person, this person that loved him so deeply and so clearly.

"I'm not dead, Zoro," Sanji whispered. "I'm right here. We'll figure this out. We'll go together and see Crocodile or Enel or whoever we have to. We'll fuck some shit up and get Kaya and Usopp back together. We'll get Kaya's life back."

Zoro nuzzled his hand and smiled faintly.

"Fuck some shit up… That sounds so good right now."

Sanji smiled. "It does, doesn't it?"

Zoro nodded and his eyes lifted to meet Sanji's. The cook couldn't resist that look of longing and he leaned forward to press his lips against the swordsman's. His eyes closed as Zoro pressed back and opened gently for him. Their tongues slid against each other and Sanji's heart started to beat faster. He felt the larger man's bandaged hand slide around the back of his neck to tilt his head. Sanji relented and changed his angle, getting a deeper, more severe kiss.

"I love you," Zoro whispered as they parted.

Sanji didn't think he could make words at the moment, and even if he could, would they be the right ones? His breath caught in his throat as the weight of his feelings hit him at once, the impact of his realization startling him, causing him to pull away slightly.

"Zoro… I…" Sanji panted softly, his tongue refusing to cooperate.

Zoro's hands cupped Sanji's face, and he smiled. The pads of his thumbs caressed the cook's cheeks as he shook his head.

"It's okay," he whispered.

Sanji gripped Zoro's wrists and turned his head so he could place a gentle kiss on his lover's injured palm. The two sat in silence for a few long moments, looking at each other. Studying each other as feelings of excitement and fear fought for primacy.

Finally, Sanji straightened and swallowed, quirking his lips into a playful smile.

"Go show Chopper your hand. I'm sure you'll get a nice ear-full."

Zoro sighed and lowered his hands into his lap. "Yeah, I'm sure I will too."

Sanji stood and ran a hand over Zoro's hair before he stepped away to put back the first aid kit.

"I'll see what I can get out of those two while you're getting fixed up." Sanji washed his hands and sighed sadly as he checked his shirt in the mirror and found it a loss. Blood stains were a bitch to get out.

"You know, Sanji…" Zoro said quietly.

"Hm?" Sanji replied, looking at the swordsman.

"Before, when Pell said he knew you… I didn't really think that you and he had… you know… I just got a thought about what it would feel like if I ever found out that you had cheated on me…"

Sanji pushed away from the sink. "Zoro, I would never--"

"No, no," Zoro stood and moved in close to kiss Sanji's cheek. "I know that. I'm just saying that I got kind of an idea of what it must have been like for Usopp."

Sanji closed his eyes. He had known their friend was in pain, but he had never had the situation put into perspective for him like that. After everything Zoro and he had been through, after the hurt and the frustration, and then the amazing discovery and the new feelings and experiences… a betrayal like that from Zoro would kill Sanji. The cook had opened himself to the swordsman more than he had with anyone else before in his entire life. Usopp did not deserve that. Kaya did not deserve that.

Now, Sanji locked eyes with the swordsman and set his teeth in determination.

"Let's fix this shit, Zoro."

Zoro squeezed his arm and nodded soberly.

"I'm with you."

X x X x X

Before Zoro started upstairs, he stopped by the kitchen and seconded Brook's idea of maybe getting something to eat. It had been a while since lunch, and everyone was hungry. Sanji made quick work of pillaging the cupboards and fridge, and started stacking ingredients on the counter. Pell offered to help, but Sanji shooed him away.

"I feel kinda bad," Sanji muttered. "You guys took a big step in contacting us and trying to explain this whole cluster-fuck, and all we've done is scream and break things. The least I can do is make some food."

Zoro smiled as he watched the cook work. _That is so like Sanji… Quick to anger, but even quicker to forgive_…

"And I'm sorry that we have nothing good to tell you." Chaka sighed as he rested his head in his arms. "Vivi and Kaya are always telling us how great you guys are and how we should get to know you, but now, meeting under these circumstances…"

"Meh, we get this under control, and who knows?" Sanji peered down the blade of a knife and started slicing tomatoes. "Buy me a boat or something. I'm sure I'll get over it."

Zoro chuckled and turned to climb the stairs. He left the small talk and the smoothing over of egos to Sanji. Things like that were something Zoro had never been very good at. The cook had a knack for charming people easily and quickly, and the swordsman knew it would be better if he just took his leave now.

His hand had started to throb anyway.

Zoro opened the door to Chaka and Pell's room, but didn't turn on the light. He saw Chopper's small form huddled under the blanket facing away from him. The younger man's breathing was heavy but uneven, giving away the fact that he was not asleep.

The swordsman moved across the room, kicked off his shoes and stretched out on his back next to his friend. He rested his head on his arm and whispered quietly into the dark room.

"You okay?"

Chopper shifted, his head of messy brown hair poked out from beneath the checkered fabric. A quiet sniffle sounded from beneath the blanket and Zoro turned his head.

"Yeah, I guess..." Chopper murmured; his voice hoarse.

Zoro sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "They aren't mad at you," he said softly, "if that's what you're worried about."

Chopper groaned and shifted under the covers. "I'm such an asshole. I made a complete fool of myself."

"No you didn't, Chopper," Zoro said reassuringly. "What you did and said was perfectly understandable."

"They're probably wondering why Kaya is friends with such a retard…"

Zoro rolled to his side and propped himself up on his elbow. He looked down into a half-hidden face, red, watery eyes staring blankly at the wall, and tears sliding over lashes to plop onto the pillow. Zoro figured it would be like this; that Chopper would be beating himself up over his outburst earlier, but he hadn't expected his young friend to look so lost and hopeless. Whatever was wrong wasn't new; it had been bothering his friend for a while. The sparkle in Chopper's dark brown eyes had disappeared several weeks ago and Zoro was sure it wasn't just from fatigue. The playful looks and acts of innocent flirting that Chopper had produced on a daily basis, and most likely unconsciously, were gone. There was a strange distance between the swordsman and his little doctor friend, and it had been building up for a while now.

Zoro reached up and gently brushed the curly bangs from Chopper's forehead. He remembered what Chaka said about Chopper doing whatever he could to keep his friends from worrying about him.

"Chopper… what's up with you? You were weird at the park, and now you're not talking to me."

Chopper pulled himself out from under the blanket and sighed heavily. He wiped at his face and slowly rolled to his back. He avoided Zoro's eyes and studied the ceiling, much like the swordsman had been doing a moment ago.

"This is a stupid thing to be talking about at a time like this."

Zoro frowned. "Time like what?"

Chopper swallowed thickly. "We have all this stuff to deal with, like whatever's happening with Kaya and Usopp, and you and Sanji have your relationship to piece back together… You don't need anything else on your plate."

Zoro shook his head. "I'd be a pretty shitty friend if I wasn't here at least to listen to you though."

Chopper wiped at his dry face, almost as if brushing away tears had become habit. He sighed heavily again and finally relaxed, defeated into the pillow.

"I'm a really bad person, Zoro."

Zoro was taken back. Chopper did not take things like 'good and bad' lightly. He was always very lenient and exceptionally forgiving.

"What?" the swordsman whispered.

Chopper closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you remember the conversation we had about falling in love with our straight friends?"

Zoro nodded. "Yes."

"It's kind of… I don't know, the curse of gay guys." Chopper stopped and picked at the skin around his nails as a distraction. He had stopped crying, the young doctor's eyes had dried and his voice was steady, but there was still heavy sadness in his tone.

"I started seeing an occupational therapist when I started working at the hospital. My boss said I needed it because I wasn't handling the stress very well. I knew I didn't need it, because I knew it wasn't the job that was driving me crazy." Chopper shifted and pulled the blanket up to his chin. "But it turned out okay though, 'cause it gave me someone to talk to about everything."

Zoro reached up and gently brushed Chopper's bangs from his forehead, a habit he hadn't been able to shake since high school.

"What was driving you crazy?"

Chopper closed his eyes. "A lot of things, Sanji's accident hit pretty hard on my nerves. He was the one I would talk to about everything, and then he was just gone. I was worried about you, I was worried about Luffy, my grandmother got sick, everything just sort of decided to get crazy all at once."

Zoro nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean. Those were a couple really hard months for all of us."

Chopper reached up and caught Zoro's hand. "Usopp was also talking more and more to me about that proposal he had planned for Kaya. You know the one on the beach with all the flowers and the bonfire and everything?"

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, I remember Sanji talking about that. Usopp's really a closet romantic."

"Yeah, he is," Chopper said sadly. "And that was a real stressor right there. It doesn't matter how much you tell yourself you just want the best for someone… Hearing your first love talk about proposing to his girlfriend… it hurts so much…"

Zoro squeezed his friend's hand, showing that he acknowledged Chopper's feelings. It must have been hard for the youngest of their group.

"It sucks really bad," Chopper continued, "being in a group of friends where everyone has found someone… and you haven't… It sucks when after a party, or after a Saturday night at the club, you're the only one who goes home alone… I started to kind of obsess over your guy's relationships. I would watch all of you together, the way Ace and Vivi tease each other and act like best friends, and the way Usopp and Kaya would hold hands under the table… kiss when they thought no one was looking…"

Zoro shifted to lie on his back, his side pressed against Chopper's. He let his friend lace their fingers together and rest his hand on his small chest. The swordsman could feel Chopper's heart pounding and wondered why the young doctor was so nervous.

"And then you and Sanji… I would watch you guys and how you looked at each other. I loved the way Sanji would smile when he said something that annoyed you, or the way your eyes looked when you were watching him and he didn't notice. I wanted that so bad… I wanted someone to look at me like you looked—_look_ at Sanji."

Zoro held still, his breath shallow, his heart beating hard as he waited for Chopper to come to his point.

The younger man opened his eyes and took a long breath.

"When Sanji was in his coma… and you were alone like me… I would pretend how nice it would be if you'd fall in love with me. If I could, just once, get you to look at me with those eyes. I crushed on you so hard in high school-- Sanji a little bit too, but not as bad. But you were straight so my head was like, 'yeah whatever'… But after Sanji was gone… you were there, and you weren't straight anymore… so…"

Zoro's heart sped up. He hadn't expected this at all. Well, maybe he should have, but he hadn't.

"I…" Zoro whispered. "I had no idea, Chopper…"

Chopper nodded. "I know. I hid it really well. I thought about it all the time, but like I would really ever act on it."

Zoro was flattered, so flattered in fact, that he felt a little silly. Silly and bad, bad for making Chopper go through all this. But how could he have known that his little friend had felt this way? Maybe even still felt this way? Of course Zoro had eyes only for Sanji; his mind had been on nothing but his lover the whole time the cook had been in his coma. Zoro had seen nothing and no one around him for months on end. As far as the swordsman was concerned, he would never leave Sanji, he would never hold anyone higher in his heart. But he had to admit this was Chopper. Chopper who was absolutely sweet and smarter than anyone else Zoro knew. Sexy as hell, even if he didn't know it, and the kindest soul to ever have graced Zoro's presence. Having Chopper fall for him, made the swordsman giddy with delight.

A thought occurred to Zoro then, and he remembered what Chopper said that had started this entire conversation.

"But," Zoro asked, "why do you say you're a bad person? There's nothing wrong with what you've told me. I'm not gonna be mad over something like that."

Chopper shook his head slowly. "I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't be mad over something like that. What I just told you isn't the bad part."

Zoro watched moisture well up in Chopper's eyes and spill out softly onto his cheeks. The younger man's expression didn't change. He kept staring blankly at the ceiling as if in denial that he was really crying.

"What's the bad part?" Zoro asked carefully.

Chopper sniffed and rubbed frantically at his nose.

"When Sanji woke up, and we found out that he couldn't remember you… I couldn't help myself from feeling a little happy. I mean, not happy that you were sad or that… I mean, I just started thinking about how great it would be if… being there for you, consoling you would make you see me." The younger man let go of Zoro's hand and covered his face. "When Luffy and Ace told me about how you guys were back together… I was so sad. I was so sad and I hated myself so much for it. And now I'm having so much trouble letting go and I just… I'm sorry I'm so stupid..."

With a sob, Chopper rolled to his side away from Zoro and cried into his hands. The swordsman watched his shoulders shake and forgot how to move. He was even holding his breath and didn't realize it until his lungs started to burn.

Exhaling harshly, Zoro got his breath back and turned on his side. He slid one arm around Chopper's waist and pushed the fingers of his opposite hand through his friend's hair. He ached for Chopper, ached that so much pain had been weighing his young friend down right under his nose and he had known nothing about it. He held the smaller man tightly and whispered consolingly whatever came into his mind first. The words were close to babble, but he knew Chopper was only hearing his tone and feeling his body heat anyway. The comfort didn't need to be comprehensible; it just needed to be there. Chopper had done this for him once before and Zoro remembered the feel of Chopper's body against him, the smell of his shampoo, but not his words. The words didn't matter.

Chopper's breathing slowed after a few minutes and his body relaxed into the bed once again. His small hands covered Zoro's and he turned into the larger man's embrace.

"I tried to apologize to Sanji at the park," Chopper whispered. "But then I stopped because I knew if I did, he wouldn't know what for… and I couldn't tell him. He looked so happy."

Zoro closed his eyes and nosed Chopper's hair. "It's okay. You don't have to tell him."

Chopper shook his head. "Yes I do. I'm just not ready yet."

Zoro shifted to prop himself back up on his elbow. "You know Sanji will understand, right? He's always going on about love and fate and forbidden whatever… You should have heard him with Usopp when we were at Vivi's a few days ago. He was talking about how love is beautiful and terrible and the fact that Usopp loved Kaya was the only thing that mattered." The swordsman squeezed Chopper's fingers. "It'll be okay. Sanji will be fine."

"You guys in here talking about me?" Sanji's voice sounded amused. Zoro looked over his shoulder at the cook's slim frame silhouetted in the doorway.

"Curled up together on the bed in the dark too," Sanji teased and moved into the bedroom. "Should I be worried?"

Zoro felt Chopper's body tense against him. He shook his head at Sanji and pleaded with his eyes for his lover to be serious. Sanji got the hint immediately and quickly stepped around to the other side and leaned down to run his hand gently along Chopper's leg.

"Chopper?" he asked soothingly as he sat on the bed. "You okay?"

Chopper nodded slowly and trembled underneath Zoro's arm.

Sanji scooted closer and Zoro loved him for the concerned and caring look he gave their friend.

"Chopper, buddy," Sanji whispered, "don't worry. What you said was perfectly understandable."

Zoro pulled back surprised when Chopper started to giggle. It was tentative at first, just short bursts of air, but then it quickly developed into quiet laughter that had the smaller man' shoulder's shaking much harder than they had been when he was crying.

"What the hell is so funny?" Sanji grinned, his body relaxing with relief. "Do I have something on my face?"

Chopper shook his head and uncurled his hands from the edge of the blanket.

"It's just so funny." The doctor smiled a watery smile at the cook and Zoro's heart lifted. "You both came in here and said the exact same thing to me."

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Might have been the same thing, but I bet I was cooler about it."

Zoro scoffed. "You were not. I was the king of suave over here."

"You wouldn't know suave if it jumped up and bit your cock."

Chopper squeaked and sat up abruptly.

"Sanji!" He grinned. "That was a really gay sounding joke!"

The cook made a face and Zoro tried not to laugh.

"Shit," Sanji muttered, "I don't wanna sound gay. Did I sound gay before?"

"All the time." Zoro smirked.

Sanji smacked Zoro's leg. "Shut up, I didn't ask you."

Chopper surged forward at that moment and caught Sanji in a fierce hug. The cook's eyes widened comically and his hands flew up as he tried to decide if Chopper was attacking or not. He quickly got his bearings though and smiled, threading the fingers of both his hands through Chopper's curly hair. He looked up, meeting Zoro's eyes and asked silently what was up.

Zoro replied only with a shake of his head and his index finger against his lips. He would talk to Sanji about it later. Right now, this moment was for Chopper. The younger man needed to be okay with himself before he could talk to Sanji about his feelings. Sanji could wait for it, and so could Zoro.

The swordsman smiled over the head of the little doctor, and the cook smiled back. Chopper sniffed softly and turned his face into Sanji's neck.

"Love you, Sanji."

Sanji rested his cheek on Chopper's head, his eyes never leaving Zoro's.

"Love you too… kiddo."

Chopper pulled away and smacked the laughing cook on the arm.

"Don't call me kiddo, jerk!"

"Ah! I'm sorry! I give up!" Sanji held up his arms in mock surrender. "Hey, did you fix Zoro's hand?"

Zoro, who had been chuckling, quietly forgotten, stopped abruptly and feigned terror. He lost his smile and his eyes became wide like a hunted animal.

"Uh… we didn't really get around to it. We, um--"

"What do you mean, your hand!?" Chopper interrupted, glaring daggers at the swordsman. "What did you do, Zoro?"

"I uh…" Zoro held up his bandaged palm in defeat.

Chopper jumped up, effectively tangling himself in the blanket, and started shouting something about Zoro taking care of himself and getting things looked at right away. The swordsman shot off the bed and scampered very unmanly-like over to the door.

"No seriously, Zoro!" Chopper growled. "What did you do to yourself!?"

Zoro scratched his head sheepishly.

"Um… I… a bottle… glass cut."

"WHAT!?" Chopper started to untangle himself from the blanket and headed for the door. "_You freaking crushed another beer bottle in your hand, didn't you!!_ I told you I'd kill you if you ever did that again!!"

Zoro made an 'eep' sound and bolted out of the room, Sanji's laughter following him all the way downstairs.

**TBC**


	21. Chapter 21

This went through rewrites four or five times. I owe my beta big for what she had to put up with this time. She is awesome. Thank you Lira-san. X)

Anyway, hope you guys are still liking it and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you for the reviews this last time, thank you thank you! And please, for those of you that asked me questions in reviews last chapter: if you don't have an account or leave me an email, I can't answer you. Lol.

**Chapter 21**

Zoro ruffled the ears of Chaka and Pell's black Maltese Terrier and threw the tennis ball one more time before he climbed the stairs to the porch. Brook nodded to him as he stood talking with Pell. He was smoking a long clove stick, and the spicy smell invaded Zoro's nostrils. Pell was smiling as the two conversed. He tucked a long, blond strand of hair behind his ear and folded his arms delicately across his chest.

The swordsman studied Pell, intrigued at just how similar he was to Sanji. They had the same graceful body; the same long, supple neckline. Soft, pale skin and expressive eyes made them beautiful, but strong jaws and refined noses made them handsome. It was obvious that Pell did not have Sanji's strength or speed, but his movements were sure and precise; the same as Sanji when he was cooking or cleaning his knifes.

Pell also did not hold himself with as much confidence as the cook did. Where Sanji stood comfortably, making his own space out of wherever he happened to be and calmly filling any room he entered with his presence, Pell held back. He seemed more the wallflower type, confident enough in himself to stand proud, but not enough to stand out. Pell was reserved, unobtrusive. His body language said that he was more of a talker than an enforcer. A body of water filled with depth and mystery, but calm and clear as glass.

Smiling, Zoro remembered Sanji standing and defending Usopp at the kitchen table, his ferocity at hearing his friends threatened. The blond was very hot when he was angry.

No, Sanji was far from a body of calm water. He was a tsunami, a great flood that came in and took over everything in its path, a force strong enough to tear down buildings and uproot forests.

Zoro moved away from Brook and Pell, slipping back into house and making his way into the kitchen. Sanji was there, stirring a thick, red sauce and looking up when Zoro entered. The swordsman couldn't help but smile and moved around the island to open the fridge.

Sanji made a suspicious face. "What?"

"Nothing," Zoro shrugged and pulled out a beer. "Can't I just look at you?"

"Not with that dopey look on your face." Sanji said as he sprinkled something into the pan. "What are you thinking about?"

Zoro opened the bottle and took a swallow. "I was just comparing you to natural disasters."

"Oh really?" Sanji looked at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Do I wanna know?"

Zoro put up his hands. "Naw, don't ask."

Sanji stared at him deadpan before he shook his head and turned his attention back to his cooking.

"I'm just gonna file that under 'Zoro Dash What-The-Fuck' and be done with it."

Zoro snickered and leaned against the counter. He took another swallow and watched Sanji taste the sauce while turning the potatoes.

"How's the hand?" Sanji asked.

Zoro glanced at his freshly stitched and bandaged palm.

"It's fine. Doesn't hurt anymore."

Sanji nodded absently, his attention on the food. "Can you take a peek into the living room for me?"

Zoro looked over his shoulder and saw Chopper and Chaka sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Chaka was talking quietly, and Chopper was listening as varying expressions of shock played out on his face.

"Chopper finally getting the whole story?" Zoro asked.

"Yup," Sanji murmured. "I'm really glad he and Chaka kinda worked things out 'cause I didn't want to hash through the whole thing a second time today."

"Yeah..." Zoro smiled as Chopper asked a question. The little doctor's eyes widened further and further as Chaka answered, and he leaned so far forward in his seat that the swordsman was worried he would fall right off the couch.

"So." Sanji lowered his voice to a whisper. "What were you guys talking about upstairs before I came in?"

Zoro shook his head slowly and raised the bottle to his lips. "We can talk about it later. It's kind of… complicated."

"Seems to be a lot of that going around," Sanji grumbled. "Seriously, while we eat, restrict all conversation to the weather or some shit."

Zoro chuckled and leaned in to kiss Sanji on the cheek. The cook surprised him though, and turned his head at the last moment, pressing his lips to Zoro's. The swordsman blinked at Sanji as he pulled away. The blond's blue eyes looked up at him through his lashes and the cook's cheeks flushed pink.

Shivering, Zoro gave in to an overwhelming urge and set his bottle on the counter before pulling Sanji close. He slid his arms around the other man's waist and closed his eyes. He breathed in the spicy Sanji smell as he nosed the skin of his lover's neck. There was a tap on the stove and then Sanji's fingers threaded their way into his short hair. The cook kissed the top of his head and Zoro leaned back onto the counter, pulling Sanji with him. He shifted so his legs were on either side of Sanji's and he melted against the other man.

Sanji's voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke softly into Zoro's hair.

"Natural disasters, huh?"

Zoro nodded, his voice caught up in the fact that Sanji was holding him so gently.

The blond kissed the top of his head again. "You always compare me to mother nature's PMS?"

"Nope," Zoro answered, teasing. "This is the first time."

Sanji's fingers massaged circles into the swordsman's scalp. The cook was silent for a few minutes before he murmured softly.

"All this stuff's going on and you're thinking about me?"

Zoro's heart started to beat faster at the question. He sighed and his arms tightened around Sanji's waist.

"I think about you all the time," he said simply. "No matter what's happening around me you… you're always first…."

Sanji stilled for a moment, but then his hands left Zoro's hair and his arms came around his neck. The swordsman felt a soft puff of air on his skin before Sanji whispered into his ear.

"Let's eat quick and go home."

Zoro smiled into Sanji's shirt. Hearing words like that from the cook, even if they were purely innocent, made the swordsman's stomach flutter. He nodded once again and released his hold on the slighter man.

"Food's ready if you wanna call people in," Sanji said as he moved away. He opened the oven door and peeked inside. The smell was heavenly and Zoro's stomach grumbled loudly.

"Sure. You want any help with anything?"

Sanji shook his head. "Nah, everything's done, we just need plates and stuff. But they can get them themselves."

The cook removed the pan from the hot element, and opened the oven to take out the sheet of baked chicken. Zoro's mouth watered as Sanji spooned the sauce over the sizzling meat, and he turned to call the others.

"Zoro…" Sanji said quietly.

"Hm?" The swordsman glanced over his shoulder. The blond looked sure and confident as he focused on what he was doing, but as he spoke to Zoro, his voice was uneasy.

"About before… in the bathroom…" Sanji shook his head in frustration, "If I disappointed you I'm really s-"

"No, no." Zoro turned back around and moved to stand beside his lover. He put a gentle hand on the cook's arm and murmured softly. "I'm not expecting anything more than what you're giving me, Sanji. I'm so happy with us right now I wanna… sing or something. I say I love you because I do. I don't say it fishing for you to repeat it back." Zoro leaned in and whispered firmly into the cook's ear.

"Don't you dare say it to me unless you mean it."

Sanji turned to him then and his eyes studied Zoro's lips. "I won't. I promise."

The swordsman froze at the blond's look. Who knew that Sanji being fixated on his mouth would turn him on so fast? Zoro took a few calming breaths, his energy focused on calming his libido. His hand moved to Sanji's shoulder and he squeezed. "All right then. Now, I'm starving, let's do this."

"Well," Sanji pushed at his chest and waved the spoon at him, "go get people!"

"I'm going!" The swordsman whined.

Zoro leaned in once more and Sanji met his lips. He was never going to get tired to Sanji's kisses. The swordsman pulled away grinning, and turned to the sliding glass porch doors.

"Hey losers!" he called out. "Food!"

X x X x X

Dinner turned out to be a very entertaining affair. With Chopper smoothing things over with Chaka, everyone else found they could relax and enjoy the meal. Granted there was still tension: it was obvious Zoro still had some trust issues, and Sanji admitted to himself he was slightly uncomfortable with how familiar he felt with Pell, but the overall atmosphere was pleasant--especially with Brook for entertainment. The musician told outrageous stories of his travels through Europe and about the many groups he had played with. The man was wise in the way of breaking the ice and keeping it broken. Conversation flowed easily from his direction, and Sanji was silently grateful to his friend for giving him a rest. He ate his meal in relative silence, enjoying the chance to just listen.

After plates were cleared and the leftovers were placed in the fridge, Pell handed Zoro a slip of paper saying it was their informant's contact info. The swordsman thanked the blond as he helped Chopper with his coat. As the four were heading out the door, the little doctor hesitated, turning to look up at Chaka. Pell stood back, as did Sanji and Zoro, waiting to see what Chopper was going to say.

"I…" he started, so quietly his voice was barely over a whisper. "I um…"

Chaka came close and leaned down to better hear Chopper's mumbling. The younger man took the chance and threw his arms around Chaka's neck. The dark-haired man's eyes widened with surprise and shock, but he recovered quickly and returned Chopper's hug with a small smile.

Pell met Sanji's eyes and he grinned before waving and turning back into the house. Sanji waved back, and started for the car.

Twenty minutes later, Sanji glanced in the rearview mirror and chuckled softly. Chopper's shaggy brown hair covered his sweet face as he slumped against Brook in the back seat. The young doctor had fallen asleep the moment he climbed into the car.

"Chaka is really nice," he had mumbled softly, as Brook put an arm around his shoulders. "He just made a really bad mistake… shouldn't have yelled at him…"

Zoro sat beside Sanji in the passenger seat. He held the small piece of paper Pell had handed him between his pointer and middle fingers.

"'Baseball game Monday. Bring ten case banano'," Zoro read Pell's neat handwriting. "I don't get it."

"Probably has something to do with drugs." Sanji answered. "It doesn't matter. We just gotta meet him and tell him that we're friends of Chaka and Pell."

"I'm not entirely sure, but..." Brook frowned thoughtfully out the window. "I think that 'baseball' refers to freebase cocaine."

Zoro turned around and cocked an eyebrow at their musician friend.

"Brook, do I really want to ask how you know that?"

Brook chuckled. "College was an interesting time in my life."

Sanji rolled down his window and pulled out his lighter. "You seem to be leading an interesting life in general, Brook."

"True…" the musician said whimsically.

"So," Sanji said, lighting his cigarette, "how does this go down?"

Zoro slipped the piece of paper in his pocket and rubbed his eyes. "This says send the message to the email at the bottom and supposedly, he'll get back to us in about an hour."

"Sounds easy enough," Sanji nodded. "What's this guy's name?"

"It's not on the paper and I didn't ask," Zoro answered.

Sanji shrugged and turned onto Chopper's street.

X x X x X

Sanji stood with Zoro at the entrance to their apartment building, watching Brook stroll down the hill to his car. The musician waved over his shoulder as he fished his keys from his pocket.

"See ya, Brook," Sanji called.

Zoro sighed at the cook's side and ran a hand over his eyes. "What a fucked up day…"

"Yeah…" Sanji agreed.

The two made their way silently through the lobby to the elevator. Once they had stepped inside and the door slid closed with a soft 'ding', Zoro reached out and caught Sanji's hand in his. The cook looked down, still taken aback by the sight of his fingers laced together with the swordsman's. He was used to small, slim digits, manicured nails, and jewelry-- not rough, calloused, and slightly larger than his own.

"Still weird?" Zoro asked quietly.

Sanji nodded. The swordsman started to pull his hand away, but the cook squeezed, stopping Zoro. The larger man looked at Sanji, his eyes uncertain.

"I said it was strange." Sanji rolled his eyes. "I didn't say it was bad."

Zoro's face lit up. His smile chased away every trace of fear and doubt, and he leaned forward to press his lips softly against Sanji's. The cook smiled and pressed gently back. The kiss was quick, nothing particularly spectacular or passionate, but it still left Sanji's heart racing. The elevator dinged and the two stepped out into the hallway. Zoro's fingers separated from Sanji's hesitantly as they made their way to their door. Zoro unbolted the deadlock and crossed the threshold, shedding his shoes and jacket in the entryway.

"I think the blood on my pants seeped all the way through to my skin."

Sanji shut the door behind him and wrinkled his nose. "Oh, well that's not gross at all."

Zoro chuckled. "I'm gonna take a quick shower."

Sanji shrugged out of his coat, his mind remembering back to that morning and the shower he had shared with the swordsman. He felt his cheeks heat and he looked away, making a project out of hanging his coat on the peg by the door.

"I'll be here," he said, and patted himself on the back for how steady his voice sounded.

Sanji listened for the sound of the bathroom door closing before he turned and started unbuttoning his shirt. He made his way down the hall to the bedroom. He put the soiled garment on top the dresser and fished out a clean pair of sweat pants and a white t-shirt. He changed quickly and started headed back out to the living room, but stopped in front of the closet. Getting an idea, he opened the door and pulled out the cardboard box filled with pictures. Closing the flaps to keep any from spilling out, Sanji carried the box to the living room, set it on the coffee table, and switched on one of the small reading lamps.

There's no good reason why these shouldn't be put back up, Sanji thought to himself, there's no reason to hide them anymore.

Sanji pulled out the top two frames and smiled at the faces of himself and Zoro. They had their tongues out in one, and Sanji was sitting in Zoro's lap, biting the swordsman's cheek in the other. They looked so happy, so content with each other. It was no wonder that Sanji had felt an instant connection with the swordsman the 'first' time he saw him. A bond like the two of them seem to have had could never be broken with something simple like the loss of memory.

Luffy had been right: Sanji's head had forgotten, but his heart had not.

Sanji spent the next few minutes putting the pictures up in the empty spaces on the mantle over the fireplace and on the tops of other furniture. There were obvious spaces meant to house some of the frames on the bookshelves as well. The cook found pictures of himself or Zoro at tournaments, cheering over a victory, or shaking hands with Shanks that seemed to belong in spots of honor amongst the trophies.

Looking at some of the pictures, like the ones of the tournaments, Sanji could not figure out why Zoro had taken them down. There was nothing in them that gave away that the two of them had anything more than a platonic relationship.

But then again, maybe they held some significance in Zoro's mind, and before, when Sanji was still in the dark, it hurt the swordsman to look at them.

Nearing the bottom of the box, Sanji stopped and scratched his head. Before when he had been looking through the pictures with Zoro, the swordsman had pulled out a large black frame and held it to his chest like it had been some kind of treasure. Looking through the rest of the frames in the box, Sanji discovered that it was missing. Why wasn't it in the box? Had Zoro taken it? Why in the world would he hide a picture?

The bathroom door opened, and Sanji perked up as he saw a glimpse of Zoro passing down the hall wearing only a large, blue towel around his waist. The cook heard the drawers of the dresser open and close, and a few moments later, Zoro's footfalls returned. The swordsman appeared wearing only a pair of black sweat pants and running his fingers through his damp hair. He slowed as he entered the living room, and smiled as he surveyed Sanji's work.

"Looks much better in here," he said softly.

Sanji nodded, but then frowned into the box.

"Hey, Zoro…" he started.

"Hm?"

"There was a picture frame in here when we first looked through it a couple nights ago. It was big and black, you know the one?"

Zoro's smile faltered and he placed his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, I know which one you're talking about."

Sanji spread his hands. "Where'd it go?"

Zoro looked away, studying the floor for a few seconds before he answered. Sanji was surprised that the swordsman looked so uncomfortable all of a sudden.

_What the hell is in that picture?_

"I…" Zoro started. "I'm not really ready for you to see that one yet…"

That awful hurt had returned to Zoro's eyes. Sanji could not understand why a picture would evoke such heavy feelings when the two of them were working things out, but whatever it was, he could tell the memory still haunted Zoro. The cook wanted nothing more than to know what that memory was, but he felt like an ass for bringing that pain back up for the other man and he turned back to the shelf.

"It's okay, Zoro," Sanji said reassuringly. "I won't press."

"It's not…" Zoro stammered. "It's not like I don't want to show you, and it's not anything bad… I just…" The swordsman rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. His cheeks gradually grew more and more pink as he spoke. "It's something that's gotta be timed just right. If I told you right now, it would sound really stupid."

Sanji was charmed by Zoro's embarrassment, and he smiled at the other man. "I told you it's okay. Tell me when you're ready."

Zoro stood quiet for a moment, but then he relaxed his shoulders and grabbed the last two pictures from inside the box. He moved to stand beside Sanji and held out a frame to the blond.

"Here's a good picture of your restaurant," the swordsman said quietly.

Sanji turned, startled at Zoro's words. "_My_ restaurant?"

Zoro nodded. "You're not just head chef… It's the first thing you bought after we started doing the underground fights-- well, after you paid off all your school debt of course."

Sanji took the frame and examined the picture. He saw himself, dressed in a basic cook's coat, his arm around Zoro's shoulders. The two of them stood on a balcony, and behind them spread a lush dining area with black lacquer tables, table cloths, cushion accents in deeps blues, and sparkling white and silver dining sets. The carpet was also blue, as were the curtains. Across the room, Sanji saw a giant fish tank mounted between two pillars. Large koi swam between colorful bunches of kelp and a sunken pirate ship.

"Oh… oh wow…" Sanji breathed. "Oh _wow_…"

"They left it just like that." Zoro put a hand on Sanji's lower back. "After the accident, I had to sell it, but the guy that bought it worked under you and admires you a lot. He didn't want to change anything in case you came back someday."

"What's the place called again?"

"Rocksou," Zoro answered. "You were working on changing the name though; you had gotten the license and ordered new menus and stuff."

"But then we got in the accident," Sanji murmured.

Zoro nodded. "Yeah…"

Sanji ran his fingers over the glass of the picture frame and sighed happily.

"It's been my dream to have my own place since I was little…" he whispered.

Zoro leaned in and kissed the blond just below his ear.

"I'll help you get it back," he whispered. "I'll fight a thousand matches if I have to."

Sanji turned and smiled lazily at his lover. He was so happy at the moment, he felt a little light-headed.

"You're so good to me, Zoro."

Zoro lifted his hand and brushed Sanji's bangs out of his eyes.

"I try…"

The cook turned away, but only for long enough to place the frame on the shelf. He smiled at the picture and everything that it implied, before he turned around and grabbed Zoro's hand. He pulled the swordsman close and ran his hands over the gnarled scar across Zoro's chest. He fingered the smooth dip where the flesh had come together, spread his palms over the length of the old injury. Sanji wondered briefly how Zoro had lived through something like this.

"How deep was this?" Sanji asked.

Zoro took a long breath. "Pretty deep; it didn't go all the way through the ribs, but it did slice them up pretty bad."

Sanji trailed his fingers down over the strange topography of the swordsman's flesh. It was smooth in some places, but in others, the skin was bunched together and hard as rock.

Zoro lowered his head and Sanji felt the other's warm breath across his cheeks.

"You know, you held me together while we waited for the paramedics to come."

Sanji looked up, surprised. "I did? What about the referees and coaches and stuff? They're all supposed to know first aid and shit."

Zoro shook his head. "This happened in a parking lot after a tournament. Remember when I told you I was stupid and challenged Hawk to a match? It wasn't official. I got this retarded idea that I could beat him if I just had one more chance." Zoro's eyes became thoughtful, and he smiled a soft smile as he remembered. His hand came up and covered one of Sanji's. "I don't really remember much except you screaming at me for being a fucking idiot. Come to think of it, I don't even know why you were there…"

Sanji's gaze lowered back down to the scar. He teased the tip of the rough line, the spot where it ended just below Zoro's collar bone. He thought of all the reasons he might have gone with Zoro to watch him fight his most powerful rival, but only one made any sense to him.

"I was probably worried about you…" the cook said softly.

Zoro snickered. "I doubt it, Sanji. You really hated me. You probably jumped at the chance to see me lose to Hawk again."

Sanji shook his head, and studied the scar intently to keep himself from looking up and meeting the other man's eyes.

"I don't think so. I bet the reason I went with you was so that I'd be there if something happened."

Zoro's hands came up to cover the cook's. The swordsman squeezed gently and rubbed his thumbs over the other's knuckles.

"How can you know that?" he asked softly.

Sanji shrugged. "I have no idea…" With that, the cook lowered his head to the place his fingers had been teasing a moment before. His lips brushed across the bunched flesh and the blond's heartbeat quickened as Zoro hissed through his teeth. Sanji gently ran his hands down the larger man's sides. His attention never leaving the massive scar, the cook flicked out his tongue and ran a wet trail up the smooth dip. Zoro gasped and Sanji felt the other man's large hands grip his upper arms. Adrenaline kicked in and the blond's breath quickened as he realized how much these simple touches were affecting the swordsman. He felt powerful as his hands trailed back up defined abs to flick pebbled nipples with his thumbs.

Zoro all but writhed under his touch. The swordsman was making soft whimpering noises in the back of his throat. The sounds were so unlike the stoic man, they fueled Sanji's need for undoing Zoro further. The cook's already half hard arousal jumped at every sigh and mewl he pulled from the other man. His mouth trailed up Zoro's throat, as his hands made their way down the swordsman's body once more. Sanji gripped the other's narrow hips and pulled Zoro's body closer against his own.

Sanji liked this control. He liked this command. He liked this side of Zoro that submitted to him; let Sanji violate him with a sinful mouth and tongue. The thought of all Zoro's power, reined in and tethered so Sanji could do as he pleased, made the cook's lust spike. He pressed his hips into Zoro's and crushed the other man against the wooden shelves. Zoro's hands were suddenly in his hair, his hot breath puffing against Sanji's temple.

"Oh, God…" Zoro panted. "God, Sanji… it's been so long…"

"What are you talking about, Zoro?" Sanji kissed the other man's jaw and ran his palms down the swordsman's thighs. "We did it in the shower this morning."

Zoro's hands slid out of Sanji's hair to cup the blond's cheeks. He turned Sanji's face to him forcing the cook to look him in the eyes. Sanji held his breath as the swordsman whispered so close to his lips, the cook felt he could already taste him.

"No, Sanji. You're touching me… Your hands, your tongue… It's different."

Sanji stared into Zoro's eyes. It was not hard to read exactly what the swordsman was thinking. The man had been without his love for a year, waiting patiently, hoping. Then when Sanji awoke, Zoro had to, not only wait longer, but he also had to take Sanji back through everything they had already worked out before. He had been toiling so hard all by himself, leading Sanji through every excruciating step, reaching out to the cook as hurtles they had already come to once had to be cleared again.

Sanji knew it was time for him to carry some of the weight.

"Zoro…" Sanji whispered. He brushed his lips over the others as he spoke. "You're incredible. I don't deserve you."

Zoro's breath hitched. The swordsman clenched his jaw and blinked back tears before he could respond.

"Sanji, I told you not to say--"

The cook pressed against him again, harder this time, pinning Zoro's lower body and restricting his movements to almost nothing.

"Shut up," Sanji growled. "It's time you learned how to take a fucking compliment! You waited for me for a year, Zoro. _A year!_ You believed I'd get better when no one else did. You took care of me and got me through one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to face in my life." Sanji's hands went to Zoro's cheeks. He kissed the larger man's nose, his eyelids, and his forehead as he spoke. "You make me feel so fucking good, Zoro. I can't even begin to tell you how good… You had me falling for you after only knowing you for a couple of days… so don't say stupid fucking things like I can't say I don't deserve you."

Zoro's breaths were ragged. His cheeks were damp with the tears that had begun to fall as Sanji spoke. The cook caught them with his lips and tongue, savoring the salty taste. He hummed happily as Zoro's arms came around his shoulders to hold him tight.

"Sanji…" the swordsman murmured into his neck.

The cook felt his lover trembling and decided to take this moment of weakness to do something he hadn't really planned on. With Zoro like this, Sanji felt he could muster enough courage to go to places he would have normally shied away from.

Sanji slid his hands down Zoro's stomach. He teased the elastic waistline of the other man's sweatpants, trailing his fingers along the edge carefully before he slipped underneath. Zoro froze with a harsh intake of breath, his arms above his head. Sanji looked up at his face and smirked as he sunk his hands lower. The swordsman shuddered and fumbled around the shelf above his head, trying to find something to hold on to.

Coarse hairs met Sanji's fingertips, and he stopped. He took a breath, trying to steadying himself; tried to calm himself as he did this thing he never thought he would do. His hands moved slowly down and he brushed the stretched skin over Zoro's arousal. The swordsman let out a moan and his head fell back. Sanji looked up, watching Zoro's reactions to his exploration, craving more of that sweet abandon the larger man was revealing.

"Oh God, Sanji…" Zoro groaned.

Sanji slipped one hand in farther and trailed his fingers up Zoro's cock from tip to base. It was like touching his own… only backwards. The shape and size were enough the same that it actually wasn't as unfamiliar as he thought it would be. He wrapped his hand around the hot length and gave one experimental stroke. Zoro let out a harsh cry and arched his back off the book shelf.

_Oh wow…_ Sanji thought to himself as he slowly pumped his hand again. Zoro was exquisite like this. He was baring everything for Sanji, stripping himself of his outer layers. Coming apart and revealing a Zoro that was sensitive, needy and submissive. This newly exposed Zoro chased away all of Sanji's reservations and the blond kissed the swordsman hard on the lips.

"Come 'ere," Sanji's voice was muffled as Zoro's mouth attacked him.

Sanji's hands retreated and Zoro pushed off the shelf. The cook led him back to the couch and all but shoved the swordsman into a sitting position on the cushions.

"Sanji?" Zoro panted heavily, his hands gripping the leather at his sides.

Sanji said nothing and stepped in between Zoro's legs. He gently kicked the swordsman's ankles apart and knelt slowly between the other man's knees. He slid his hands up Zoro's thighs and looked up at his lover through his eyelashes.

"Was I any good at this?" the blond teased.

Zoro stared down at Sanji, his heart trying to hammer a hole through his ribs. He had expected Sanji to maybe crawl into his lap, or possibly to kiss him until he passed out, but not this—_definitely not this_. The blond's blue eyes looked up at him under heavy lids and the swordsman felt every muscle in his body tighten in anticipation for what Sanji was offering. It had been so fucking long! He had been craving Sanji's touch for over a year, and now, here he was with his perfect fantasy kneeling before him with promised mischief painted on his face.

Zoro opened his mouth and concentrated on not choking as he tried to sound in control.

"I… don't remember…" Zoro's voice came through with only a slight tremor. "You'll have to remind me…"

Sanji chuckled, his breath hitting the skin of Zoro's stomach. The swordsman inhaled sharply and held his breath as the cook lowered his head and laid soft kisses on the flesh below his navel. Sanji's soft lips trailed down his skin, and slender calloused fingers hooked the elastic of his sweatpants. As the blond pulled, dragging the cotton over his thighs, Zoro lifted his hips in a trance. This was so unreal that the swordsman was afraid if he blinked he would wake up from this impossible dream.

Sanji gently pulled the sweatpants down, catching the tip of Zoro's cock under the waistband. When it sprang free, the arousal bounced back, hitting the swordsman's stomach with a soft 'smack'. The cook studied the member closely in the lamplight; the smoothed skin, the thick tip, the perfect shape and color. He was fascinated by the sight of it, intrigued and mesmerized, as he had never been able to look at a cock up close like this. Not that he had ever wanted to, of course.

"Sanji…" Zoro gasped.

Sanji looked up and met the pleading eyes of his lover—his prisoner. The swordsman looked as if he was about to cry, his jaw tight and his nostrils flared as he seemed to be trying desperately to calm his breathing. Sanji could only grin and hold the other's gaze as he lowered his head to gently lick the underside of Zoro's tip.

Zoro whimpered again, and the cook felt the muscles in the swordsman's thighs tense. His confidence boosted, Sanji felt a rush of inspiration and pulled back to yank the sweats the rest of the way off Zoro's legs. The cook grabbed hold of Zoro's inner thighs and pushed the swordsman's legs further apart. His lover responded by sinking lower into the cushions and lifting his arms over his head to hold the back of the couch. Sanji was momentarily frozen as he realized, in this position, Zoro was more erotic to him than any pinup or Playboy model he had ever seen. The need in Zoro's eyes, the desperate look the swordsman gave Sanji as he panted above him, the fine sheen of sweat that had begun to collect over his tanned and shaking body—all these things went to Sanji's head as he leaned in, his lips a hair's breadth away from quivering skin.

"When you look at me like that," Sanji growled, "it makes me want to do nasty things to you, Zoro…"

Zoro's control was already shot; his nerves fried. There was no way he was going to be able to hold out if Sanji was going to start talking dirty on top of everything else. The swordsman arched, flexing the muscles in his stomach, and let his head fall back, exposing his neck. This was a move he knew from experience that got Sanji hot. He knew Sanji liked to dominate him. Zoro took pleasure in submitting to the blond. He got off on letting go and letting the cook do whatever he damn well pleased. It freed Zoro on some fundamental level to be able to place himself in Sanji's hands and know that his lover would take care of him.

"A… anything, Sanji," Zoro groaned. "You can do anything you want to me…"

Sanji was stunned at Zoro's display. Just when he thought the swordsman couldn't get any sexier, the man flexed and arched and _writhed_ under his hands. The cook lifted his arm and ran his palm over Zoro's defined abdomen. The skin was slick, shining in the glow from the small reading lamp. He moved his touch lower, to the narrow hip, down a trembling thigh. Sanji slipped his hand under the heavily muscled flesh and lifted Zoro's knee. The swordsman responded and bent his leg, bringing his heel to rest on the cushion. This move exposed every part of the swordsman to Sanji and the cook found himself gazing down at Zoro's sack and the small, pink pucker of his anus. This was the most vulnerable position Zoro could place himself in, and Sanji's lust was fueled by this act of trust.

The blond slid his hand around Zoro's bent knee and leaned in to catch a bit of sweat from the swordsman's inner thigh with his bottom lip. He moved lower and kissed the junction where thigh met hip, then still lower to run his tongue over the bunched skin around Zoro's entrance. This was a place on Zoro's body that was almost familiar. Sanji had never before touched a cock, and Zoro was the first flat and muscled chest he had ever run his hands over. A man's body was foreign territory for the blond. Instead of soft bouncy parts there was hardness; lines and angles where he was used to feeling delicate curves.

But this place, the sensitive skin that twitched and flexed beneath his tongue, this he knew. Man or woman, this place was the same. He grasped the familiarity and worked off it. He teased the swordsman mercilessly. He licked and sucked and pressed in with his tongue, driving the other man to a breaking point. He pushed his lover with everything he knew, listening with deep satisfaction as Zoro cried out, the swordsman's breath hissing in and out through his teeth.

"Sanji… Sanji…" Zoro moaned, and the cook felt trembling fingers in his hair.

"Sanji… I'm gonna die…"

Sanji ceased his torture and rose up. He scooted closer to the couch, keeping a firm hold of Zoro's knee as a support for himself. He slid his other hand up Zoro's inner thigh and wrapped his hand around the base of Zoro's thick length.

"What do you want, Zoro?" he whispered.

Panting heavily, every muscle in his body singing with tension, every nerve screaming for release, Zoro gazed up at Sanji through a haze of dizzying arousal.

"Your mouth… your mouth on my cock, now…"

"Ask nice," Sanji said, his voice quiet but firm.

Zoro shuddered at the sound of Sanji's command. He felt the cook's slow strokes around his base and steeled himself.

"Please, Sanji…" He licked his lips and murmured in a broken whisper, "please… do it…"

Sanji stroked Zoro slowly, his heart hammering in his chest so hard if felt as if it was crawling up into his throat. Nervousness made it hard to breathe, as he lowered his head and ran his tongue up the underside of Zoro's erection. For some reason, this was a bigger deal to the cook than having sex with a man. Zoro had made love to him already, but this was something entirely different. Sanji knew he had accepted Zoro, he had accepted their relationship. It was just that this was that last hurtle that needed to be cleared. This was it. There was no turning back after you willingly put a cock in your mouth.

_Fuck it_, Sanji thought. _I'll think about it later_.

Taking a firm hold, Sanji wrapped his lips around the tip of Zoro's cock. He sucked gently, moving slowly down, taking bit by bit more into his mouth. He let his tongue slide along the underside as his hand kept up a steady rhythm.

Zoro clenched his jaw, his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. Sanji's lips were around him, the cook's tongue was caressing his cock. Sanji's calloused, talented, beautiful hands were stroking him. The swordsman was overwhelmed, too caught up in sensation. Tension and heat built in his lower gut and he knew, though he wanted this to last forever, he would not be able to hold on much longer.

Sanji was surprised; this was not as easy as it looked. His jaw hurt, and trying to keep his teeth from Zoro's sensitive skin was difficult. But he kept it up, letting the hot flesh slide in and out of his mouth. He continued to suck, and pump with his hand. He was determined for this to be good for the swordsman. He wanted to make Zoro feel as good as he had when his green-haired lover had done this for him.

Then Zoro started to make the most fantastic sounds.

Sanji tiled his head up to look at the swordsman. He met the larger man's eyes just as Zoro slid the fingers of both his hands into his hair. The cook almost choked at the site of his lover's impassioned face. Zoro was obviously lost, taken over by lust and impending orgasm. His eyes were intense, gazing down at Sanji with the same focus the blond had witnessed when Zoro had been fighting. The look renewed Sanji's vigor and the cook pressed down as far as he could go, taking most of the swordsman's twitching length down his throat.

"Oh God…" Zoro moaned, his fingers tightening in Sanji's hair. "Sanji… Sanji if you don't want it in your mouth…"

Sanji palmed Zoro's balls before he moved his hand up to stroke Zoro hard and fast. His mouth pulled away just sucking on the very tip.

"Sanji… off… get off… Ah… c-coming…"

The cook felt Zoro's sharp tug on his hair, and he pulled away quickly. He pumped Zoro's cock ruthlessly, feeling the tell-tale pulse under his fingers. Come splattered his chin and cheek as Zoro growled harshly above him. Sanji looked up, watching the swordsman's face as he released long and hard. Zoro's body bucked, his eyes closed, his jaw clenched and his teeth bared. Yet another display that got Sanji's drive up, made him hot. He couldn't wait to see if this was the face Zoro would make when Sanji fucked him.

"Shit…" Zoro murmured as he came down.

Sanji turned his head and wiped his jaw and chin on his shoulder, his t-shirt was toast anyway. He was shaking, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He had never realized how completely vulnerable one felt after giving head for the first time. He had been raging drunk and with someone much older his first time with a woman. He thought back to all the times he had taken a virgin to his bed, and thanked God that he had been brought up to respect women and treat them with gentleness and kindness, otherwise he would be packing some seriously bad Karma.

He wanted to shout for joy but simultaneously wanted to crawl in a hole and cry. Sanji met Zoro's eyes as the swordsman came back from wherever he had gone. The cook felt a gentle hand on his cheek and he nuzzled into the warm palm.

Zoro slowly sat up and kissed Sanji's forehead, his mouth trailing down to lap up the lingering mess on the blond's skin. Sanji knelt between his legs, still as death, clutching his bent knee and trembling as Zoro cleaned his jaw and neck with soft kisses and gentle licks. The taste of the salty come mixed with the spicy flavor of Sanji's skin always pleased Zoro's palate; yet another way to season the blond to perfection. Sanji, _service à la française_, just the way the swordsman liked.

"Thank you…" Zoro whispered softly.

Sanji turned to meet his lips. They shared a brief kiss before the cook relaxed, his posture indicating that he also was coming down from the high.

"You're welcome," he answered, smiling softly.

Zoro's hands slid around the cook's waist, and he sighed a content and sated sigh.

"May I have my pants back?"

Sanji chuckled. "No."

Zoro pulled back, an eyebrow raised.

"No? Why?"

Sanji pulled away, grabbing the sweatpants off the floor and standing.

"Because I'm not done with you. You said I could make love to you tonight, and I intend to do just that."

Zoro smiled and leaned back on the couch once again.

"I think my words were that I'd let you 'fuck' me."

Sanji shrugged. "Whatever. We'll see how I feel in a few minutes."

Zoro held out his hand. "Can I have my pants at least while I'm recovering?"

Sanji shook his head. "You can't 'have' them. But you can try to 'take' them if you want."

With that, the cook whirled and ran out of the living room. Zoro wasted no time, jumping up from the couch and chasing after him. He'd get his pants back, damnit. He liked it when Sanji took them off.

**TBC **

**A/N- Reviews make me post the promised seme!Sanji sex faster! xD **


	22. Chapter 22

All right. Here it is. Thank you so much for all the reviews and comments and everything! xD It really made this chapter run smoothly. It's not the best thing I've ever written, but I likes it so HA! I hope you all enjoy it too. I just have one request: Please do not comment on how you like Zoro/Sanji more than Sanji/Zoro. Just read it for what it is, be open minded. Everyone is entitled to what they like, and I like seme!Sanji just as much as seme!Zoro!!! Ahem, anyway! Love you guys, enjoy. xD

**Chapter 22**

_Slap!_ Sanji smacked the spatula across the back of Zoro's thighs. The swordsman yelped and dashed for the other side of the kitchen island.

"This is so not fucking fair!" Zoro shouted, but couldn't stop the grin that pulled at the corners of his mouth.

Sanji snickered and held the spatula like a fencing sword, arms straight out and his free hand resting on his hip.

"Might not be fair, but it's fun."

"Fun for you!" Zoro growled. "I'm the one running around house, butt-fucking naked- my dick all swinging in the wind!"

Sanji chuckled and stepped to the right, feigning an attack. The swordsman fell for it and jumped to his right as well. Sanji moved with a speed that was almost inhuman, switching directions to his left and catching Zoro across the shoulder with another loud _slap!_

"Gyah!" Zoro yelped again.

The cook laughed and hopped up onto the island counter. He kept the spatula pointed in Zoro's direction and swung his hips. The swordsman eyed his pants that were knotted around the blond's skinny waist.

"Can I please have my pants back?" Zoro pouted. "I'm at a slight disadvantage here."

"On the contrary," Sanji 's grin grew wider, "I'm quite distracted."

Zoro pursed his lips and felt his cheeks heat, but he managed to cross his arms and stand defiantly in the middle of the kitchen.

"Isn't this like one of those things they teach you in those self-help classes?"

"Huh?" Sanji raised an eyebrow.

"You know, like if your boss is really a hard ass, or if he's just a pain in your ass, you're supposed to imagine them naked? It makes them seem less intimidating or something?"

Sanji straightened and placed both hands on his hips.

"Where the hell did you hear that, Zoro?"

Zoro shrugged. "I don't know! In passing! You've never heard that before?"

Sanji shook his head. "Um, no."

"Fine, whatever."

Sanji chuckled again and sat on the counter, bringing him to Zoro's eye level. He pointed the spatula at Zoro's nose. "Have you actually taken a self help class?"

Zoro stepped forward, putting up an intimidating front, even though he knew it wouldn't faze the cook. "Do I look like someone who needs a self help class?"

Sanji stared at Zoro for a moment, silent, his grin slowly widening. The swordsman's eye started to twitch as the cook's obvious answer went unsaid.

"Dude, not funny."

Sanji snickered through his teeth. "Yeah, it is."

"Okay," Zoro smirked. "What about that dream where you're in the mall, or just walking down the street or something, and then you're suddenly naked in front of everyone?"

"I fucking love that dream."

Zoro chuckled. "You would, you perv."

"Have you had that dream?"

Zoro snorted. "No."

"Too bad. But you know," Sanji continued, hopping to the floor and taking a mock fighting stance once again, "This is all irrelevant. You're being naked makes you no less intimidating. In fact… I think you're actually scarier when you have no clothes on."

"Am I supposed to take that as a complement, or what?" Zoro grinned.

Sanji shrugged. "Sure, why not? Come on, let's fight."

Zoro held out his hand. "Gimme my pants."

Sanji waved the spatula in a circle.

"Fight me for them."

"Can I get a spatula?"

"Nope," Sanji's teeth flashed.

"How 'bout a spoon?"

"Let's just lose the weapons," Sanji suggested and set the utensil on the counter. "Hand to hand- er, I guess hand to feet, I should say." He kept his eyes on Zoro, waiting for the swordsman to make a move.

Zoro stood his ground, waiting for an opening to lunge and yank his pants from around the cook's waist.

"Pull out the mats in the dojo."

"Yes!" Sanji cheered, vaulting over the island and landing gracefully on the wooden floors below. He pulled the top matt from the wall, and unfolded it across the room. Zoro followed close behind, and did the same for the next one. Both men kept their eyes on each other, not giving in and giving the other a chance to attack.

When Sanji headed for the light switch on the wall closest to the kitchen, Zoro stopped him.

"Wait," the swordsman said.

Sanji turned to him. "What?"

Zoro looked around the room. The dojo was lit only by what reached from the small reading light in the living room, and the soft glow from the city outside the corner windows. Sanji's face was half in shadow and half illuminated, the muscles of his naked torso stood out starkly by the light's contouring. He looked dangerous; a hunter prowling the night in search of prey.

"Keep the lights off," Zoro said.

Sanji tilted his head to the side, frowning in confusion. "Why?"

Zoro moved closer, stepping up onto the blue workout mats.

"It'll make it more of a challenge," the swordsman murmured.

"Plus it's really sexy."

He caught Sanji's grin before the blond turned away. The cook started to circle the swordsman slowly, moving into the darker part of the room.

"That's fine," Sanji said. "All the better to molest you with, my dear."

Zoro snorted again and shifted his weight, moving into a defensive stance and facing off to Sanji; mirroring the blond's movements, slowly circling the edge of the workout mats. His adrenaline started to pump as Sanji moved into the light of the window and was momentarily silhouetted.

"Hey, Zoro," Sanji said softly, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Zoro answered.

Sanji bent his knees and spread his legs wide. "When did you know?"

Zoro was about to answer, but the cook moved in, dropping low and trying to sweep his feet out from underneath him. The swordsman jumped, dodging the swipe and immediately retaliated with a few fast punches, which Sanji blocked easily.

"When did I know what?" Zoro asked as they backed off each other.

"That you had feelings for me."

Zoro took a breath. "The very first time I caught myself thinking about how I missed having you around."

Zoro ducked just in time to dodge a roundhouse kick to his temple. He dropped to the floor, bracing himself on his hands and striking out with a side kick from the floor. Sanji jumped back out of the way, straightening.

"So, right at the beginning then?"

"Of the fight, yeah."

Another kick, this one aimed at his side. Zoro blocked it as best he could and followed with another series of quick punches. This time Sanji used his arms to block, using basic kempo techniques to counter the swordsman's attacks.

"What about-" Sanji caught Zoro's wrist and twisted, bringing the swordsman closer to his body, "-when you knew-" the blond brought his knee up and Zoro blocked it with a downward swipe, "-that you loved me?"

Zoro was caught off guard by the question and missed the release and quick blow to the back of his neck. Sanji quickly finished out the attack with another roundhouse, hitting Zoro directly in the side. The swordsman wavered, grunting in pain, but managing to stand his ground. He growled a curse and blocked another two hits with one arm.

Sanji backed off, giving Zoro a moment to breathe. He wiped at his face, pushing his sweaty, blond bangs from his eyes.

"Well?" He asked.

Zoro rubbed at his bruised ribs and made a face.

"I… it's… embarrassing…"

Sanji moved in again, knowing exactly where Zoro was open. He had watched the other man fight three times now, and had learned his weak points. He knew exactly how to attack because of where the swordsman was slow and unpracticed. He rushed the larger man's side, but then as Zoro moved to block, the cook dropped his hands to the ground, lifting his legs above his head, and spinning. Two kicks landed before Zoro went down. The move was meant to be a killing blow, but Sanji had aimed for Zoro's shoulder and not his head or neck. He flipped to his feet, just in time to see the swordsman roll to his side clutching at his new injury.

"Ah… wow…" Zoro grunted, but his face held more humor than pain. "Good one."(1)

Sanji shook his head. "You need some serious hand to hand combat skill training."

Zoro chuckled and moved to sit up. "Well, I'm slacking 'cause my sensei's been in a coma for a year."

Sanji moved forward and made to stomp on Zoro's leg, but the swordsman rolled away and the cook's heel hit the mat with a loud smack.

"What did you mean by 'it's embarrassing?"

Zoro got to his feet and wiped a bead of sweat from his jaw.

"Gimme my pants back and I'll tell you."

Sanji backed away, stepping onto the wooden floor of the kitchen. He pulled the knot from Zoro's sweatpants and tugged them off his waist. He dropped them into the sink and turned on the faucet.

"Ah! Sanji!" Zoro cringed inwardly at how close to a whine his voice had become. "You're a bastard!"

Sanji turned off the water and returned to the mats. He was surprised to find his hands itching to light up a cigarette. Was he nervous? He just wanted to know how Zoro had known he loved him… no particular reason… not really…

"Just tell me," the cook said quietly.

Zoro frowned. "I don't understand the twenty questions, Sanji."

Sanji placed his hands on his hips and shrugged his shoulders.

"I just need to know, that's all."

Zoro moved when he saw Sanji's guard fall. He came in low and fast, lashing out with his hands. Sanji twisted to the side to counter with another roundhouse, but Zoro took hold of the cook's inner thigh and lifted. The cook was at a disadvantage when it came to throwing weight; he was at least fifty pounds lighter that the other man. Zoro off balanced him easily and threw him to the ground.

"Ah, shit!" Sanji wheezed as his back hit the mat. "I fucking hate judo!"

Zoro laughed and held tight to Sanji's thigh.

"You're gonna be sorry you did that," Sanji snarled, the grin finding its way back onto his face.

Zoro felt Sanji's other leg come up and he momentarily panicked. The cook locked his ankles around the swordsman's waist and Zoro started to struggle as he was caught between the most powerful legs he had ever encountered. Sanji squeezed and Zoro saw stars.

"Ah! God damnit!" He tried to pull his way out, but there was no escape, Sanji had him. He felt his chest start to burn as the cook crushed the air out of his lungs.

"All right!" Zoro tapped Sanji's thigh. "All right_, all right!!"_

Sanji let him go, but the moment Zoro released his leg, the cook flipped them. He pressed Zoro's front down onto the mat and straddled the swordsman's hips. He rested his hands on Zoro's lower back and gave the other man a moment to catch his breath.

"Oh… fuck…" Zoro coughed. "I forgot how much that hurts…"

Sanji leaned forward to bring his lips close to Zoro's ear. "Why won't you tell me?"

Zoro opened his eyes and brought his arms in close to his sides. He wiped the sweat from his eyebrows and sighed softly.

"I told you, it's embarrassing."

"Why?" Sanji's hands moved from Zoro's shoulders, sliding along the sweaty skin to the other's tanned neck. The cook had not lost his arousal since the two of them had moved from the couch, and now it pressed hot and hard against Zoro's lower back. The swordsman let out a breath and Sanji felt the larger man shiver underneath him. He massaged the back of Zoro's neck with his fingers and laid kisses into the course, green hair.

"Zoro, tell me…"

Zoro's bones had turned to water the moment Sanji had started to touch him so gently. The cook's fingers made him tremble so hard, his whole body shook. He moaned softly and turned his face so he could see the blond out the corner of his eye.

"I knew I loved you from the moment you first kissed me in the gym."

Sanji lifted his head, delighted and confused at the same time.

"Why is that embarrassing?"

Zoro smiled softly. "I don't know... One kiss from you is all it took for me? It's all girly and shit."

Sanji stared down at Zoro's eyes. From what he could see in the dim light, they were dark and far away, but they were also soft and happy. He longed to be able to look back at the memories Zoro was looking back at now; share again the past that he had once experienced with the swordsman.

The cook raised himself up, bracing his weight on the hand by Zoro's head. He trailed the fingers of his other down Zoro's cheek, following with his mouth, kissing the sweaty skin, running his lips along the shell of the swordsman's ear.

"Tell me about it?"

Zoro groaned and closed his eyes, tilting his head to give Sanji better access. He breathed deep, savoring every press of the cook's lips against him.

"The kiss?" He asked softly.

Sanji brushed the three earrings with his tongue and pulled the earlobe into his mouth, biting down gently on the soft flesh. "Yes… tell me how it felt."

Zoro smiled as shivers began to cascade down his back. He remembered lying in the dark gym afterwards, sweaty and spent, fingering his swollen upper lip and thinking this was simultaneously the strangest and best night of his life.

"I couldn't believe it at first," Zoro started quietly, "It took a second for me to process that you weren't trying to kill me… Then it was like flood gates. All the tension and the stress and the fucking wondering and agonizing over what the hell was going on… it just flowed out. "

Sanji ghosted his fingers down Zoro's spine and the swordsman's back arched.

"So what did you do?" The cook whispered.

"I felt like crying… or screaming or something. It felt so good I could have died right then and been okay with it." Zoro let out a breath as Sanji's palm slid over his ass, tickling the back of his thigh with a calloused thumb. "All I could do was kiss you back… I was… totally fucking helpless."

Sanji laughed softly, biting onto Zoro's ear again.

"Kinda like you are now?"

Zoro snickered into the mats. "Yes, exactly."

"What were you thinking?" Sanji's voice was muffled as he spoke into Zoro's skin.

The swordsman closed his eyes, humming deep in his throat as Sanji's mouth caressed him. "A lot of stuff… But what I remember most was thinking that I never wanted to kiss anyone else ever again."

Sanji froze. No one had ever said anything like that to him. The swordsman's words tugged at his heartstrings and pulled the smile wider on his lips. He came away and met the swordsman's eyes.

"You're so romantic, Zoro…"

Zoro smiled up at him. "Only with you…"

Sanji lean forward and caught Zoro's lips in a tender kiss. The swordsman pulled the cook's bottom lip through his teeth as they parted. The Sanji's hands moved down Zoro's body, his mouth laying open-mouthed kisses on the other man's shoulder blades. He moved his body lower and placed his knees between Zoro's legs. His erection rubbed at the clef of Zoro's ass, and the swordsman pushed up against him.

"Oh, god…" Zoro's eyes closed once again and he braced his hands on the mats, spreading his fingers and pulling his elbows in tight.

Sanji's cock jumped, straining against the fabric of his sweatpants. He was hard and throbbing and had waited entirely too long to take what was being offered. He moved his hand down Zoro's thigh, pulling gently to bend the swordsman's knee, spreading the other man's legs beneath him. Zoro was like putty, doing whatever he wanted without the slightest hint of resistance. Sanji feasted on the tanned skin in front of him as his fingers moved up to tease the underside of Zoro's sack. He ran his thumb up between the swordsman's toned cheeks, pressing gently against the puckered entrance.

Zoro cried out softly, making fists with his hands. A slew of quiet curses came streaming out of his mouth as Sanji pressed and played and teased him.

Sanji's hand slid up Zoro's back and he slipped two fingers into his mouth. He ran his tongue over the long digits, slicking them as best he could to ease what he was about to do. Returning his hand to its previous ministrations, he slid one finger easily into Zoro's body.

"Zoro…"

Zoro could do nothing as his entire frame trembled violently in response to Sanji's treatment.

"Yeah…"

The cook pressed deep, hooking his finger, massaging the softness of Zoro's inside as he murmured into the swordsman's ear. His voice dropped and octave, becoming throaty and hoarse as his breathing escalated.

"Did I ever tell you that I loved you?" Sanji panted. "Did I ever say it out loud?"

Zoro's head came off the mat, his back arching hard as Sanji fucked him with his long fingers. He growled and propped himself up on his elbows, the back of his head resting against the cook's shoulder. He felt the hot breath of his lover burning the skin of his throat and his need ignited.

"Yes…" he gasped. "Yes you did… All the time…"

Sanji withdrew his fingers and straightened, kneeling between Zoro's spread and shaking legs. He gripped the swordsman's lean waist and growled in a low voice.

"Lift your hips."

Zoro did as he was told, shifting to his hands and knees. He felt the wetness of Sanji's tongue on his entrance once again and his arms buckled. He lowered his forehead to the mat and arched his back, giving Sanji a nice view of every angle and contour he possessed. He looked at his blond lover over his shoulder and tried not to babble, his voice coming out husky and desperate.

"Sanji… Sanji please… Just do it, please…"

Seeing Zoro in such a provocative position and hearing such needy, desperate pleading coming from the powerful man, almost did Sanji in. He could do nothing but grant Zoro's request. Sliding his sweatpants down over his hips, the cook spit once more into his palm and slicked the head of his arousal. Taking hold of Zoro's ass, he pulled the muscled cheeks apart and pushed his cock past the initial tight ring.

Heat surrounded him instantly. The softness and pulsing life of Zoro throbbed around him as he slid fully inside with one smooth motion. Sanji moaned, his head falling back. Nothing had ever felt like this before. Nothing had ever felt this good. It was so tight, so hot, so _perfect_. Zoro cried out beneath Sanji and pushed back against the cook's frame. Sanji looked down as he pulled back, readying himself for a soft thrust forward. Zoro had stretched his arms out in front of him, and buried his face in his shoulder.

"You okay?"

The swordsman's response was nothing but a broken moan. Words had escaped him as Sanji filled him in one delicious movement. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as a wave of emotion hit him hard.

_His Sanji was inside him! His Sanji was making love to him! His hips slowly rolling, his cock pushing in and out of him! His hands held his sides, his stomach pressed against his back! His-_

"Zoro…" Sanji's voice was in his ear. "Zoro, are you all right?"

The cook's arms were around him, his movements had ceased. He was concerned and brushing sweat and tears from Zoro's cheeks as the swordsman came back from wherever he had gone.

"Yes…" Zoro took a few long, deep breaths to calm himself. He opened his eyes and looked up to meet an almost frightened blue gaze. "I'm fine, Sanji. I'm okay…"

"Are you sure?" Sanji whispered. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No!" Zoro rose up on his elbows once again and pressed back onto Sanji's cock. "Don't you dare fucking stop! I'll kill you!"

Sanji smiled and kissed Zoro's shoulder. "Okay, but please tell me if I'm hurting you."

Zoro turned away, resting his forehead against the mats again.

"You can't hurt me."

Sanji pulled back before snapping his hips forward. His length pushed deep inside Zoro and the swordsman cried out, arching and clawing at the blue nylon of the mat coverings.

"Oh, fuck!" Zoro growled. "Sanji… do that again."

Sanji obliged, pulling back and snapping forward again. He loved Zoro's voice when he got like this. He gripped the swordsman's hips harder and thrust slowly, powerfully, watching the erotic display of his cock sliding in and out of Zoro's gradually tensing body.

"Shit, you're so needy," Sanji panted, his ego boosted, his confidence practically spilling from every poor in his body. "I had no idea you were such a slut. It's fucking sexy."

Zoro twisted to look at him, his eyes were challenging even as they were filled with desperation, flashing ebony in the dim lighting.

"Harder." Zoro pleaded.

Sanji thrust forward, his grip on the swordsman's hips tightening.

"I'll break you.

"Fucking try it," Zoro gasped. "Fuck me like you could never fuck a girl before. I can take it."

It was all the permission Sanji needed. He bore down on the swordsman, his arms wrapping around Zoro's torso, his face burrowing into the muscled dip between shoulder and neck. He let himself go, pounding into the other man like he had always wanted, always dreamed, like he had never been able to do before lest he hurt his partner.

Zoro could handle him. Zoro could take almost anything he could dish out because he was strong and powerful and he loved Sanji with everything that he had. The cook surged forward with an abandon he had never before unleashed. The swordsman held himself up as long as he could, but soon his legs couldn't take it anymore, and the cook crushed him flat into the mat. The slap of skin on skin was loud, and Zoro's cries were a mess of _yes_ and _ah_ and _faster!!_ They jumbled together, becoming one word that harmonized with Sanji's impressive and profane stream of whispered cussing.

Finally, Zoro's hand came up and threaded into Sanji's hair. He pulled viciously, causing the cook to bite down on the swordsman's neck, drawing blood and eliciting a harsh snarl from the larger man.

"Fuck, Sanji… Shit, I can't… Ah, I'm coming…"

The cook's arms tighten around Zoro as the swordsman felt his orgasm coil in his groin and release onto the mat beneath him. He pulsed again and again as Sanji pounded into him with such force that it hurt as much as it felt good. Zoro's vision clouded and he saw black for a split second before he heard Sanji's soft cries into his neck. He felt the cook spasm inside him and he tightened his muscles around the blond's cock. Sanji's head shot up and the cook cursed loudly into his ear.

Zoro smiled and closed his eyes as Sanji collapsed on top of him. He breathed hard and listened to his heart race in his ears as Sanji kissed his shoulders, his back, his neck… He knew the cook wasn't finished; Sanji's libido was sometimes unstoppable, especially when he was on top, but Zoro didn't mind it at all. Now Sanji would make love to him again, kiss him and stroke him and talk softly into his ear as Zoro became more and more lost in euphoria. His high would be extended as Sanji blew his mind, his body, and his soul…

Sure enough, just shortly after coming down from their first go, Sanji pulled out of Zoro's body and rolled the swordsman onto his back. He licked up the larger man's neck, tasting the saltiness that could have been sweat or cum. The evidence of their previous actions was splashed across Zoro's stomach, some all the way to the swordsman's chest. The cook didn't care though, having at the moment a mind only for seating himself inside this fantastic body and pushing himself and his lover to new heights once more.

Zoro's legs came apart and the swordsman accepted him easily. Sanji's cock slid inside, Zoro's body fitting him as if they were made for each other. The cook moaned Zoro's name and slipped one of his hands into the other man's, squeezing tightly as he started to move very, very slow.

"Zoro," Sanji gasped, sweat collecting on the end of his nose.

Zoro lifted his head and captured the droplet with the tip of his tongue. "Yes?"

Sanji felt fingers in his hair again, but this time they were gentle. The cook dipped his head forward and whispered against Zoro's lips.

"If I told you I loved you, would you believe me?"

Zoro's eyes opened wide and their gazes locked. The swordsman blinked, trying to hold back the tears that collected, but they still came spilling out and running down his cheeks. He felt stupid for crying yet again, but Sanji cupped his face and wiped the tears away with his thumb. His touch was so gentle, so loving, that Zoro could not form words, laying there staring at his lover in amazement. He managed a small nod before the cook leaned forward and kissed him solidly on the lips.

"Then, I love you, Zoro," Sanji whispered. "I've loved you since you first walked into my hospital room."

Zoro whimpered and lifted his hand to cover the one caressing his face.

Sanji kissed him softly and continued. "My body never forgot you… my heart never forgot you. I felt it from the beginning and I was just too fucking stupid and stubborn to admit it."

Zoro let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. "Sanji…" he whispered. Everything was finally back the way it should be. Sanji loved him. _Sanji loved him!_ He wrapped his arms around the cook's neck and pulled the other man close.

Sanji braced himself on his elbows and continued to roll his hips slowly as Zoro's legs came around him. Their passion was no less intense the second time, but their bodies and hearts were so tired that it didn't last long. Zoro came silently, spilling out over Sanji's hand, his head tilted back and his body arched against the cook's. Sanji whispered softly into Zoro's ear, sweet nothings he had spouted a thousand times before, but had never meant them until now. He came with a hiss and soft grunt into Zoro's throat, his fingers intertwined with the swordsman's.

When Sanji finally rolled from atop Zoro's spent body, he managed to get to his feet and pull his pants back up before he grabbed his pack of cigarettes and lighter from the jacket he had draped over a chair. He returned back to the mats and collapsed beside Zoro's quietly dozing form. He lit up and lay back, pulling the smoke into his lungs.

"Fuck…" Sanji sighed, "That was…"

Zoro's eyes opened slowly and he smiled at the ceiling.

"Yeah…" he agreed.

The swordsman watched the smoke curl and travel upward as he lay, relishing the ache in his lower back and thighs. He ran his fingers through the trail of cool semen on his chest, sighing softly. When he felt Sanji's fingers tickling at his palm, he turned to the blond, not realizing he had closed his eyes. The cook was propped on his elbow, gazing down at Zoro with a sleepy, satisfied look.

"You sure you're okay?" Sanji asked.

Zoro nodded. "I haven't been this good in a long time."

Sanji slipped his fingers through Zoro's and brought the swordsman's hand to his lips. He kissed the larger man's palm and wrist, smiling softly, amusement pulling at the edges of his features.

"You know," the cook smirked, "for such a badass, you sure are emotional."

Zoro grinned, turning his face away.

"I am not. I've just been bottling shit up for a year."

Zoro was about to try and defend himself further, but he felt Sanji's lips on his burning cheek. He turned to the cook and met his soft, blue eyes, his embarrassment fading as Sanji kissed his lips. Zoro's heart swelled at the tender touches, and he lifted his arms to wrap around the cook's waist.

"You need a shower before bed?" Sanji asked.

Zoro kissed Sanji's forehead. "Maybe just a rinse, I'm too tired for a full on shower."

Sanji agreed and helped the swordsman to his feet. He pulled his sleepy lover along behind him, chuckling at the thoroughly pleased look painted on Zoro's face. He slid his sweatpants off in the bathroom, and turned on the hot water.

"This is my third shower today," Zoro smiled, amused.

Sanji kissed him again and pulled him under the spray. The swordsman closed his eyes as Sanji washed him, gently cleaning between Zoro's legs and rubbing soft circles into the sore spots on his lower back with his strong thumbs. After they dried and retrieved clean clothes, Sanji climbed into bed and padded the mattress beside him. Zoro slid in beside the cook, laying his head on Sanji's outstretched arm, and resting a hand on the blond's slim hip. Sanji's fingers ran through his hair and Zoro felt himself drifting off to sleep.

"Hey, Zoro?" Sanji said softly.

"Hm?" Zoro answered.

The cook brought his lips close to the swordsman's ear and whispered with a wide grin.

"You really like being the bottom, don't you?"

Zoro bit his lip to keep himself from laughing. He pulled the other man tight against his body and buried his face in the other man's neck.

"Shut up," he said, muffled. "Go to sleep."

"Oh, you do!" Sanji gasped with feigned shock. "You totally do! I really did make you cum that first time without even touching your dick!"

Zoro burrowed further into Sanji's neck and growled softly.

"I said shut up."

Sanji laughed and held Zoro close. He kissed the top of the swordsman's head and relaxed back on the pillows. He ran his hands over his lover's neck and played with the back of his hair until he was sure Zoro was once again drifting off to sleep.

He sighed contently and gazed out the window at the clear, starry night sky.

"Love you, Zoro."

Several long moments passed and Sanji thought the swordsman had fallen asleep, but then Zoro lifted his head to kiss the stubbled skin of Sanji's jaw, and whispered almost inaudibly.

"Love you…"

X x X x X

For the second time in less than a week, Sanji was woken up by knocking—knocking and shouting. The cook opened his eyes and squinted into the sunlight filtering in through the window. He felt Zoro stirring beside him and slowly sat up.

"What the hell is that?" Sanji murmured, rubbing at his face.

Zoro yawned and stretched beside him. "Someone's at the door."

Sanji rolled his eyes and flicked Zoro's shoulder with his middle finger. "I know that, doofus. Who the hell is here at…" the blond glanced at the clock, "Seven fucking thirty in the morning?"

"It doesn't matter," Zoro draped an arm over his eyes. "They're gonna be dead in about ten seconds."

Sanji tensed as he heard the deadbolt unlock and the front door open. He was about to fly out of the bed and sprint down the hall for an attack, but then he heard Ace's voice calling out from the entryway.

"Hey you guys! I was polite and knocked for like ten minutes! We're coming in!"

"We?" Zoro mumbled into the pillow as Sanji slid out of the bed.

The cook grabbed a sweatshirt from atop the dresser. "I'll see what he wants."

He didn't get far down the hall before he ran smack into Luffy who was coming from the living room. The younger man looked up at him and smiled, a Popsicle stick sticking out from between his teeth.

"Hey, Sanji!" He said happily. "Ace is totally mad! I haven't seen him mad in years, it's really weird!"

Sanji froze in the middle of pulling his sweatshirt on. "What? Why the hell is he mad?"

Luffy shrugged. "I don't know, Chopper came over to drop my books off, and then-"

"SANJI!!!" Ace bellowed from the kitchen. "GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!!"

Sanji stood staring stupidly at Luffy for a moment before he moved slowly passed the chuckling boy and into the kitchen. He finished putting the sweatshirt on and pushed the sleeves up to his elbows.

Ace stood leaning against the counter, a Mountain Dew from the fridge in his hand, and an angry look painted on his face. Luffy was right, the expression was very strange on the normally laid back Portgas brother. He wore his hat low on his brow, and he glared out from under the brim at the slightly disturbed cook.

"Hey… Ace," Sanji almost stuttered. "What's up?"

Ace took a long swallow, his eyes were furious, never leaving Sanji's face. He set the can down and folded his arms over his chest.

"What the hell is going on, Sanji?" He growled. "Chopper is talking about blackmail, and drugs, and the freaking _mafia!!"_

Sanji stepped forward and gripped the edge of the island counter.

"Chopper told you!!?"

"He was crying, I pried."

"Oh," Sanji sighed in relief. He hadn't thought Chopper would rat them out like that, and was happy to have his suspicions confirmed.

"So can I get the whole story now?" Ace asked, resting his hands behind him, gripping the edge of the marble hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Sanji could feel his friend's ferocity from across the kitchen, and his skin was beginning to crawl under the heated gaze.

"Yeah," Zoro said as he entered the kitchen, rolling his shoulders and yawning again. "We were going to tell you later this morning anyway."

Ace's face softened immediately and he turned to Zoro. "Oh… really?"

Zoro nodded and opened the fridge.

Ace sighed, moved to sit at the island, and rested his chin in his hands. "Okay… I feel a little better."

"You should tell us the story while you cook something, Sanji." Luffy grinned merrily. "I'm starving."

Sanji sighed and moved to the sink, glancing between the three biggest eaters he knew. While Zoro retrieved the milk carton from the fridge, sat next to Ace, and started headfirst into their explanation, Sanji started planning a breakfast that might satisfy them for more than an hour.

Key word _might_.

**TBC**

(1) "Good one" is what you're supposed to say in a lot of martial arts classes instead of "ouch". When you get to higher levels, it's more a pride thing than anything else. You only say "good one" when your partner _really_ fucked you up. X)


	23. Chapter 23

This took forever, I know. You guys even remember this fic? My life has been hectic, and my muse for this story kinda went out the window for a bit. But now I think I got it back, and I'm on the roll once again. I'll try not to have months and months between chapters from now on, lol. Please enjoy, and if you don't, feel free to toss your rotten tomatoes at me. x) Betad by Liralen. Thank you so much. You're awesome.

**Chapter 23**

Ace studied Pell's note and frowned at the crisp, neat writing. He scratched at his neck, hating the fact that his friends had gotten themselves into something so crazy, but intrigued all the same.

"So…" he scratched at his chin. "I think I understand all of it. But what are you guys planning to do when you meet up with this dude? I mean, guys like this--the earners? They're at the bottom of the totem pole. This guy might not even be part of the crew. The guys you're gonna want to talk to are going to be the guys that work for the area Capo."

"Capo?" Zoro asked.

"Kind of a boss," Ace explained, "a minor leader. I doubt this Bones guy is one if he's trying to climb the ranks. He's probably just part of a crew; a Button or something."

"Button?" Zoro made a face.

"A high ranking soldier. You call a Button in to do things like an execution."

"How the fuck do you know all this shit, Ace?" Sanji asked, folding his arms over his chest.

Ace just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. There was a lot that Zoro and Sanji—and even his brother—did not know about him, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"I have lots of cop friends."

Sanji sighed and rolled an unlit cigarette between his teeth. "Whatever, bro. It's your business. I just wanna get my hands on this guy so I can find out who's face I'm gonna break."

Ace ran a hand through his thick hair. Laying the note on the countertop, he leaned back and stretched. He was pumped for whatever shit Zoro and Sanji were about to get him into, but he was sore as hell. He didn't have a problem working the extra shifts Zoro left him, but double hours on top of his shifts at the fire house for weeks on end would get to anyone physically after a while, no matter how in shape they happened to be.

"This is going to be a little more complicated than what you guys are used to. These are some heavy-hitters you're gonna go up against. You guys can't just bust in and mow people down like you usually do."

Sanji grinned around his cigarette and glanced at Zoro. "We usually mow people down?"

"Of course you guys do!" Luffy piped up from the opposite side of the kitchen island. "You guys are _my_ friends!"

Ace chuckled and pulled out his cell phone. "One of my buddies on the force, old friend, kind of older but cool as hell, could probably help us out, and if not, he would definitely know who the 'go to' guy is."

"Is that a good idea?" Zoro asked, "I mean, bringing in police?"

Ace shrugged. "This guy isn't really… uh, how can I put this? He's… unconventional, to say the least. You'll like him."

Scrolling through the names on his contact list, Ace highlighted the one he was looking for and pressed 'send'. He put the phone on speaker and listened to it ring once before a gruff voice answered.

"_Damnit, Portgus! I thought I told you not to call me in the middle of work!_"

"Aw, I love you too, Smoker." Ace grinned across the island at Luffy, who covered his snicker with his palm. "I'm so glad we can go for months without seeing each other, but then we can instantly jump back into conversation like we were never apart."

"_Cut the crap, Ace. What do you need?_"

Ace fished out his lighter and lit the tip of Sanji's cigarette as the cook leaned close. He retrieved one for himself and lit it as well as he talked to his old friend.

"Got a little bit of a problem here, thought you might be able to help us out."

"_That kid brother of yours got himself in some shit again? Cause I really don't have time for-_"

"No, no, Luffy's good." Ace sucked on his Lucky Strike, and blew the smoke out in a steady stream. The sight of it and the familiar sound of the old police Captain's voice rumbling in his ear, made him think back to when he was little, standing in front of a large desk, getting drilled by his father about something or another. Smoker would always be standing off to the side, puffing on his cigars and ready to step in if Ace's father were to resort to fists instead of just harsh words.

"He's right here, actually. Say hi, Luffy." Ace grinned, and turned the phone towards his brother.

Luffy leaned forward and mimicked Ace's maniacal smile. "What's up, gramps?"

"_Luffy!_" Smoker's tone had softened, but the volume was still the same. "_Stay outta trouble!_"

Luffy swirled on the barstool and laughed. "I'll try!"

"_You'll do!_"

"Yessir!"

Ace grinned up at Sanji, who responded with a puff on his smoke and a raised eyebrow. Zoro's grin was so wide, Ace could see his molars. The swordsman rubbed at his eyes, and took a long swallow of the Mountain Dew Sanji had fished out of the fridge for him.

"_So, Ace,_" Smoker continued, and the sound of the older man puffing on the cigar was unmistakable. "_What did you need from me?_"

"Well, I got a friend that's gotten tangled in some shit. It's been going on for a while now, and she's got a lot of eyes on her. We need some info so we're not going at this blind."

Smoker was silent for a moment, and Ace listened to another long puff. When the captain spoke again, his voice was quieter, more serious.

"_Are we talking she slept with a politician kind of shit, or we talking something worse kind of shit?_"

Ace inhaled a long drag and tapped his ashes into his empty coffee mug.

"I'm talking some Borgata kind of shit."

"_Fucking hell, Ace._"

Sanji was giving him a look, and Ace waved a hand in dismissal. He would teach them the lingo later. No need to worry about it right now.

"I know, I know. Sorry man, but she's in it deep, and we can't just ignore it. They've also started threatening some others in our group, and they hurt my buddy Sanji real bad a while back."

"_Oh yeah, the cook? I heard about that. That was related?_"

"Yeah."

Smoker was quiet for a minute before he sighed heavily. Ace heard a rustling of papers in the background. "_I only know really general things about the organized crime on the East coast, so I haven't the fucking foggiest what kinds of shit they're dealing with today on this side. I'm gonna give you a number for a friend of mine down South. He works the scene in the L.A. and surrounding areas. He'll get you whatever you need._"

Ace copied the number down on a notepad that Zoro fished out from one of the drawers in the living room. Crushing out his cigarette, he clicked off the speaker phone and lifted the cell to his ear.

"Hey, thanks," Ace said, seriousness quieting his voice.

"_No problem. Call him later this evening. The guy's going through some shit right now with his personal life, and you wanna catch him after he's gotten to work_."

"Oh thanks," Ace chuckled, "I'm filled with confidence now that you've sent me the number of a basket case."

Smoker chuckled as well. "_No, he's a good guy. Work helps him deal, so he'll be glad to help_."

"All right. Thank you again, Smoker."

"_Hey, Ace_," Smoker's voice lowered again, and the older Portgus brother's heart clenched at his nostalgia that came with that timber. "_You gonna be okay? You know you and your brother can always come to me for anything, right?_"

Ace smiled, embarrassed to be talking like this in present company.

"I know… I know we can, gramps. I'll call you later, okay?"

"_You do that_."

Ace hung up and folded the piece of paper with the number on it, slipping it into the pocket of his jeans. "Okay, we call this guy later in the day, after he's gotten to work. So for now, I guess we could try and meet up with this dude that knows Pell."

Sanji snatched Pell's note from off the island and pulled out his cell phone.

"This thing has email, right?" he asked as he flipped it open and frantically pushed buttons with his thumb. "Wait, holy shit, I don't even know my email!"

"Your first name, dot, your last name at hotmail," Zoro told him before he finished off the Dew.

"Okay." The cook punched it in and made a face. "What's my password?"

Ace watched the corners of Zoro's mouth turn up. The swordsman turned to Sanji and reached for the phone.

"Lemme do it, it's not something innocent ears like Luffy's should be hearing."

Sanji looked up at him and smiled. "What? What the hell is it?"

Zoro tugged on the blond's sweatshirt, pulling him closer. Sanji gave him the phone with a soft chuckle and draped himself over the swordsman's shoulders so he could see what Zoro entered. Ace listened to the keys beep softly before Sanji straightened and smacked Zoro on the shoulder.

"What the fuck!?" Sanji laughed as Zoro handed him back his phone. "That's nasty!"

Zoro grinned up at him and put his hands up.

"It's your password, not mine!"

Ace leaned an elbow on the island, and rested his chin in his palm. It was so nice to see his friends getting along like they used to. He had worried for Zoro and agonized over Sanji for way too long, and this show of affection between the two was like a cool drink to a parched mouth.

Of course, the _best_ thing about this whole thing, was that Ace got to make fun of them once again.

"Awww," he cooed, his Portgus-grin wide, "You guys are back to being disgusting."

"Shut up." Sanji smirked and turned away, but not fast enough to hide the pink spreading across his cheeks. "So I'm just going to send the message word for word. I'm guessing he'll email or text me back with a meeting place?" After punching in the information, Sanji pressed the 'send' button and flipped his phone closed.

Ace nodded as he stood to retrieve another Dew for Zoro and one for himself. "Yeah, he should just hit you back with some kind of cryptic message for where to meet up with him." He pulled the tab on the can and took a long swallow.

"Thanks, man." Zoro accepted the drink. "Hey, what's the 'baseball' thing mean?"

"Oh." Ace leaned against the sink and slid a hand in the pocket of his shorts. "It's just a blanket term for dealing in freebase."

"Coke?" Zoro's brow rose.

Ace nodded again. "Yeah. The 'banano' you're asking for is actually coke-laced cigarettes. You get them in 'crates' which are like packs of fifty or so rolled in plastic wrap."

Sanji made a noise. Ace turned to see the blond staring at him with his blue eyes wide and sparkling.

"C… coke-laced… cigarettes?" The cook murmured.

Zoro punched his shoulder, and made a face at Sanji's whiny 'ouch'.

"Don't even think about it," the swordsman growled.

Sanji's phone's message alert went off, and the cook jumped. He flipped open the phone and hit some buttons.

"'Don't have a ten case, only a five. If it's good, Albert Davis at three.'" Sanji frowned and looked up confused. "What the hell is Albert Davis?"

"It's a park," Luffy spoke up, and Ace almost startled at the sound. His brother had been quiet for so long, he had almost forgotten he was there.

"It's behind the public library," Luffy continued, "the Lake City branch."

Ace, Zoro, and Sanji all stood dumbfounded at Luffy's words. It never ceased to amaze anyone that the younger Portgus brother always managed to say something totally smart in the most unexpected of situations.

"How… how the hell do you know that, Luffy?" Zoro made a face.

"No," Sanji interrupted, "the real question here is: When the hell did you start going to the fucking _library!?"_

Luffy blinked at them, obviously confused as to why his friend were surprised.

"I don't go to the library, Nami does." He broke into a wide grin. "And the park has a sandbox."

Zoro and Sanji exchanged looks, and Ace just had to laugh. Leave it to his brother to step up to bat in a pinch. The looks on his friends' faces when Luffy pulled that stuff were always priceless.

"Text the man back, Sanji." Ace chuckled as he stood. "Tell him the meet's on."

X x X x X

Sliding out of the driver's side door of his Jeep, Ace stretched his arms over his head and twisted from side to side. Zoro's jeans fit nicely, even though he was an inch or two taller than the swordsman. He had changed out of his own pants because, well, white board shorts with pink Hawaiian flowers along the sides, just weren't very bad ass.

Sanji had taken up a chant in the backseat as they had pulled into the park's parking lot, and he was still reciting it softly under his breath. "I'm not interested. Coke is bad. I don't want to try it. Coke is bad…"

Ace chuckled and ruffled Luffy's hair, as the younger Portgus hopped out of the back seat. He didn't like that his brother was tagging along on this particular adventure, but he also knew that there was no one better to have by his side if things went sour.

"You good?" Ace asked.

Luffy nodded and spoke seriously, "Just don't let me hurt anyone."

"Right." Ace grinned. "Like I could stop you."

They had decided that Ace would do most of the talking, and Sanji would back him. Zoro and Luffy would stay by the Jeep, but let themselves be seen. Zoro was intimidating enough that he could make someone uncomfortable even from a distance, and the fewer bodies at the meet, the less conspicuous they would be.

And Luffy… was just better off staying by the car.

Ace clapped Zoro on the back, as he and Sanji headed down the dirt path. They guy hadn't given them an exact meeting spot, so the two figured they would walk until they saw something promising.

Sanji slipped his hands in the pockets of his slacks, and chewed on an unlit cigarette as he walked. Ace watched him silently for a few minutes, just enjoying being with his friend after so long. He was amazed at the transformation in the cook in just a few short days. Ace had seen nothing but anxiety and fear in Sanji's manner since he had left the hospital, but now… Now he was like the old Sanji again: cool and confident; lazy in eyes and stance unless you knew how to look.

"I'm glad you see you guys worked things out," Ace said quietly. "You both look happy again."

Sanji smiled and pulled the cigarette from his mouth. He placed it behind his ear and kicked playfully at a rock.

"I can't believe I held out as long as I did. Everything in me was screaming what I needed to do, but I just… I don't know. It's stupid."

"No." Ace said firmly. "It's not stupid. I really don't think you've given yourself credit for how hard everything was for you. We were all used to the Sanji that was with Zoro, and didn't really think about how you were actually the Sanji from two years ago. I mean, I can't even imagine waking up tomorrow and everyone telling me, not only have I lost two years, but that I was suddenly with a dude." Ace shook his head. "I don't think I could have handled it as well as you did. It's really amazing that you didn't kill someone."

Sanji chuckled. "Oh, I felt like it a couple times. Believe me."

"Still," Ace continued, "I was thinking about that after the time we talked at Vivi's place… It's really a mind fuck."

Sanji turned to him then and smiled; a wide, genuine smile that showed off his pearly whites.

"Thank you."

Ace shrugged and turned his attention back to the pathway. There were only a few mothers out with small children, and a teenage couple sat on a bench set back into the tree line. They were holding hands and talking in low whispers. The girl smiled at something the boy said and the two shared a quick kiss. Ace turned away, giving them their privacy, and scanned the park for anyone out of place.

"Dude, Ace." Sanji's tone was cold and detached. Ace knew immediately he had spotted something.

"Where?" Ace murmured softly.

"Eleven o'clock; bench along the path."

Sure enough, when Ace looked, there was no mistaking the out of place. But just _how_ out of place came as quite a shock to the older Portgus brother.

They knew it was him because of the briefcase that sat beside him on the bench, and the antagonistic air that wrapped around the man like a blanket. The mothers and other passersby gave him a wide birth; some even left the path and walked yards away before coming back to the dirt trail. He sat smoking on the bench about thirty feet from where Ace and Sanji had stopped; his brown trench coat was faded and had colorful patches and zippers in odd places. He wore a brown bowler hat over hair dyed a strange pastel shade. It was slicked back, and secured with a rubber band. His shoes were normal, expensive, and didn't go with the rest of the ensemble. But maybe that was what he was going for. It wasn't like anything he was wearing went with… anything.

The part that really stuck out was the face paint. Ace had never liked clowns, and this one was no exception. Granted, this one was like _cirque du soleil _where they were more hobo than clown, but this one still made Ace uncomfortable. If he would just get rid of the _damn red nose_ it would probably have been fine.

"You gotta be kidding me." Sanji muttered as he pulled out his lighter. "It better not be him or I'm gonna break both his legs."

Ace felt like pulling one out himself as he removed his hands from his jean's pockets and transferred them to the pockets of his jacket.

"Well, one way to find out."

The two made their way over to the bench carefully, and with as little menace as possible. If this did turn out to be their guy and they messed it up just because they came on too strong, that would just be stupid.

The clown eyed them with a smirk and puffed on his cigarette. Ace could see that above his fingerless gloves, the guy's nails were painted purple. That made him even more wary. Why the most disturbing thing about the man was his painted fingernails really didn't make sense in Ace's head, but whatever. He hated clowns.

Oh well, buck up. Be bad ass for Kaya and Usopp.

"Nice day," Ace stated. "You got a light?"

The clown grinned, showing what looked like ten thousand rows of stark white teeth. He fished around in the inside of his coat and without a word, pulled out a long, red fireplace lighter. He held it out to Ace, and the dark-haired man could hear Sanji snickering behind his hand.

Ace couldn't help but smile, and took the offered lighter. "I don't know why this is funny, but it's really damn funny." He thumbed the switch and a flame flickered to life at the end of the cylinder. He lit his cigarette with the over-the-top flame and handed the lighter to Sanji. The cook took it and juggled trying to light his own stick and laugh at the same time.

The clown chuckled and sat forward. He dropped his smoke, crushed it out with his expensive shoe, and took off his hat.

"You must be Pell's friends," he said in a strange, raspy voice.

"Name's Buggy."

X x X x X

Zoro leaned against the side of Ace's Jeep, watching the strange display going on some fifty yards away. Why Sanji and Ace had stopped and started talking to… a clown… was beyond him. But he figured both his lover and his friend at least sort of knew what they were doing, so he would just watch and wait.

Luffy, on the other hand, wasn't so patient.

"What are they doing, Zoro?" the younger man asked. "Why are they talking to a clown? I wanna go talk to the clown!"

"Keep quiet, Luffy," Zoro growled softly. "I don't know what they're doing. Just wait."

Luffy looked up at Zoro, his grin wide and his eyes sparkling.

"What if the clown is the guy? That would be sooooo cool!"

Zoro made a face. "That's retarded."

X x X x X

Ace's eyebrow rose at Buggy's question. "How did you know? I thought this was all secret and stuff."

Buggy smiled. "The message you sent me was coded in more ways than one. Pell worded it so I knew I was meeting friends of his and not someone that was really from the scene. My bosses could have been right there with me as I texted you, but never know who I was really talking to."

Ace nodded, impressed at Pell's thoroughness. "How do you know Pell?"

"I don't really know the guy all that well. I actually met him through his sister."

For the first time that day, Ace's hackles rose. "What?" he growled. Ace wasn't the jealous or possessive type, Vivi could be friends with whoever she wanted, but this was a… different circumstance.

Sanji caught him by the collar and gently pushed him back. "Easy, easy, Pyro," the cook said softly. "She knows a lot of people. Give him a chance to explain before you kill him."

Ace took a deep breath and brought his cigarette back to his mouth. Sanji's high school nickname for him rang in his ears as he inhaled and counted to ten silently before he continued.

"How do you know Vivi?" he asked.

Buggy frowned and leaned back. He lifted his arms to rest on the back of the bench and lifted one leg to rest an ankle on the opposite knee.

"I went to school with her." His eyes narrowed. "How do _you_ know her?"

Ace took another drag and counted to five. "She's my fiancé; we're getting married next April."

Buggy's eyes widened comically and he sat forward once again.

"Wait, you're _Ace_!? Ace Portgus?" The colorful man laughed, throwing his head back and clutching his stomach. He stood and offered his hand, which Ace accepted without really thinking.

"I've heard a lot about you." Buggy's voice became quiet suddenly, and Ace caught a hint of superciliousness in his tone. "Finally I get to meet the famous older Portgus brother. Lucky, lucky me."

Before Ace could say anything, Sanji jumped in.

"How've you heard about Ace?" The cook narrowed his eyes. "You still see Vivi?"

Buggy nodded as he turned to Sanji. He lowered his voice even more and brought another cigarette to his mouth. "Before I went undercover, our offices were affiliated with her business. I saw her every Tuesday and Friday."

Ace shook his head. "So, wait… you're a cop then?"

Buggy waved his hand in a 'so so' manner before he lit his stick. "Sort of; a P.I. actually. I worked out of the South Seattle police branch for a bit, and then they commissioned me to get into the organized crime thing. Get paid a hell of a lot more doing this than working my own cases."

Sanji pulled out another cigarette and lit the tip with the butt of his first. "So okay, lemme get this all straight in my head. You're an undercover P.I. that's working for the mob, dealing drugs on the streets. I'm guessing your cover job is a clown—or at least, I _hope_ it's a cover job… You also went to school with Vivi, and you're still friends."

Buggy nodded and smiled. "Yup, that's about it."

Sanji turned to Ace and blew out a stream of smoke. "You know, I thought yesterday was weird."

X x X x X

Luffy scuffed the ground with his flip flop. "Okay, now they're being friendly with the clown. I feel left out. Can we go over there now, Zoro?"

"No."

X x X x X

"So, isn't this… really dangerous?" Ace asked, following Buggy as the strange man picked up his briefcase and started to walk down the path. "Meeting us out here in the open and talking about all this?"

Buggy shook his head. "I've pretty much got free reign to do my dealings wherever and however I like. I bring in a lot of profit, so since my numbers are good at the end of the month, they keep clear when I'm doing my thing."

"So you actually sell drugs?" Sanji asked. "Like the real stuff?"

"Of course," Buggy replied. "To cops who confiscate it, and to some big shot corporate guys downtown who get it confiscated from them later. I try to be as clean as I can; don't sell to kids and such as a rule. But you know, feds can keep better track of the traffic up here if I just do the job."

Ace shook his head. "That sucks."

Buggy shrugged again. "I keep in mind that it's all for something. I'm working towards a goal here. They'll get theirs eventually."

Ace watched the ground as they walked. The conversation was severely different than what he had been expecting, not to mention the contact was severely… different… than what he had been expecting. But at least they were on the right track.

They made their way towards Ace's Jeep, and the dark-haired man chuckled at how Zoro must be stewing to know what was happening right now.

"So." Buggy's voice interrupted his thoughts. "How are you faring, Mr. Cook?"

Ace and Sanji stopped at the same moment, the dark-haired man glancing at his friend to make sure the blond took his own advice to wait for an explanation before he killed someone.

"Excuse me?" Sanji growled around his cigarette. "I don't remember introducing myself."

Buggy chuckled and smiled an almost frightening smile over his shoulder.

"Oh, I know you, Sanji Black. Everyone in the Northwest scene knows you."

Suddenly, Zoro was there with a strong hand twisted in Buggy's collar. His eyes were ablaze with quiet fury, and he growled low in his throat as he backed the clown up into Luffy's waiting hands.

"You better start explaining some shit before you know my fist through your skull."

Luffy wrapped an arm around Buggy's neck and secured it with the other of his gangly, but exceptionally strong arms. The clown struggled, but Ace knew from experience that once his brother had you in the classic sleeper hold, there was no getting out.

"You may look awesome, Mr. Clown," Luffy said quietly into Buggy's ear, "but you hang out with some people that hurt my friends… so I don't like you very much. You have about fifteen seconds to start helping us out, or Zoro's never gonna have a chance to hurt you…"

Buggy's friendly and arrogant manner changed abruptly with Luffy's words. His eyes became frightened, and his body stilled in the young man's hold.

"Don't… don't worry," he stammered, "I was planning on telling you guys what I know. It's not much, but at least it's something, right?"

"Let's get out of here," Ace said, as tossed his butt in the nearest trashcan.

Zoro and Luffy flanked Buggy in the back seat as the five climbed into the Jeep. Ace pulled out of the parking lot and headed downtown. Sanji sat beside him in the passenger's seat, leaning against the window and rubbing his temple.

"So," the cook said softly, "if you know Vivi, and you know Ace and me, that means you know Kaya, right? You know why we're here?"

Buggy nodded, stealing a quick glance at Luffy.

"Yeah, I know all about that. That whole thing wasn't supposed to get so out of hand, but a lot of changes have happened in the last two years. A new Underboss took control of the East side's turf, and now he's running things like he was Skipper."

"Skipper?" Luffy asked.

"The _Boss_ boss," Buggy answered. "You don't do shit unless it's authorized, but this guy does whatever he wants with no concern for tradition, and has no respect for anyone."

Ace pulled off the highway and drove down to the pier. He parked the Jeep in one of the spots at the end of the docks, just inches from the water.

"What's this guy's name?" Zoro asked as Ace turned off the engine.

"They call him Blackbeard." Buggy shrugged. "Like the pirate. Never met the guy, never even seen him, but supposedly he's a hard ass… scary motherfucker. That Cugine that's after you, the rank-climber, Bones? He belongs to Blackbeard. That's why he got away with trying to ice you guys without permission."

Buggy leaned forward then and spoke to Sanji, who was still staring out the window, his arms folded across his chest. "Everyone I know is pissed about what happened to you, Sanji. They say it was a bad deed to a man's man and Blackbeard should get his ass fed to him for okaying that shit. That was some hell he put you through, and it wasn't right."

Sanji turned slowly to glare at Buggy with his one visible eye. He ground his teeth in the absence of a cigarette, and spoke in a soft, but dangerous tone. "No one in your fucked up little world knows shit about me. So don't talk to me like you know what kind of hell I went through."

Buggy frowned; confusion lining his face. He looked from Sanji to Zoro, to Luffy, and then back at Sanji. "Do you guys not… I mean, do you guys really have no idea who you know?"

Zoro slapped a hand to Buggy's chest, pushing him roughly back against the seat. "Maybe you should just tell us," he snarled.

Buggy looked around at the faces of his captors and shook his head.

"Man, you guys hang with one of the city's underbosses all the time! Lucci! Him and his crew! You fight in his underground matches, making money for his faction! You three, in the first few months of coming to the club, made Lucci, and even some of his crew, enough dough to pay off their debts to the Skipper!"

Ace turned and met his brother's eyes. Luffy was probably loving this little piece of information, but the older Portgus brother wasn't so sure about Zoro or Sanji. His friends were silent, and stared intently at each other across the interior of the Jeep.

"So…" Sanji's voice was calm, but Ace was sure heard an underlying anger suppressed in his tone. "If we wanna get at this guy Blackbeard… the next thing we should do would be to go talk to Lucci?"

Buggy nodded. "Or see Crocodile, he's the area Capo, or even the Consigliere. He works directly under Lucci and handles all his stuff, so he knows everything. Me? I've told you pretty much everything I know. I don't even know the Boss boss's name, so I think my work here is done."

Sanji nodded and turned around to face the front. "I think I need some air."

With that, the blond opened the door and slid out. Before he closed it behind him, he turned back to Ace and looked at his watch. "Just come back for me in a couple hours. I'll be here."

"Sanji-" Zoro started, but the cook interrupted.

"Yes, come with me, Zoro." He closed the door and started walking down the dock, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets.

Zoro opened the back door, and clapped Ace gently on the shoulder. "Thank you," he said. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yeah," Ace replied. When Zoro slammed the door behind him, the dark-haired man rolled down his window and called after him. "Should I call the guy in L.A.?"

Zoro nodded over his shoulder. "Yeah, whatever info we can get will be helpful!"

Watching the backs of his friends as they made their way down to the water, Ace sighed and turned back to the characters in his back seat.

Buggy eyed him with a smile and a flash of teeth.

"So," the clown said merrily. "Who's hungry?"

"Me!" Luffy exclaimed happily.

X x X x X

Zoro followed a few steps behind Sanji as the blond made his way down to the beach. The cook left the built-in path, and jumped over to a cluster of large rocks covered in seaweed and dirty-blond barnacles. The swordsman watched as Sanji nimbly hopped from rock to rock, quickly traversing the dangerous landscape, and landing gracefully on a log at the tip of the water.

Zoro was nowhere near as agile on his feet, so he settled for slipping his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and walking leisurely down the gravel path. He stopped a few feet from his lover and watched as the blond pulled out his pack and lit up.

The sound of the waves and the faraway toll of a buoy bell filled Zoro's senses as he waited for Sanji to speak. The cook had brought him here once before, when they had first started out. They hadn't talked much, as they were still learning about each other physically, and the need to touch and be touched surpassed all others. Zoro smiled at the memory, but was immediately saddened because Sanji wouldn't remember that innocent and awkward night.

"I used to come here as a kid," Sanji finally spoke. He blew out a stream of smoke and slid his free hand in his pocket. "I would come to find sand dollars." He turned his head and looked at Zoro over his shoulder. "Did you know the live ones are black?"

Zoro smiled and moved to stand beside the other man. "No, I didn't."

Sanji nodded, his cigarette hanging from his lips. "They're black and they scoot along the sand. I thought they were really cute. I'd bring them home to my dad, and he'd tell me they were worthless 'cause you can't cook them." Sanji chuckled then and flicked his cigarette cherry into the water. He crushed the butt between his thumb and pointer finger and put it in his jeans pocket. "He always let me keep them though. I probably have a whole box of them somewhere in storage."

He looked up at Zoro then, and shook his head. "I have no idea why I'm telling you this."

Zoro shrugged. "I like listening."

Sanji turned back to the water and sighed. "You know, if I were to go back in time, to when I was on this beach playing with the sand dollars, and tell myself anything- _anything_ that happened to me in the last few days… I would probably kick my own ass."

Zoro laughed, it was so true. The Zoro of just a few years ago- hell, the Zoro from a few weeks ago, would find this ridiculous.

The swordsman gently tugged on Sanji's sleeve, pulling the cook's hand from his pocket. His lover understood, and laced his fingers between Zoro's. They stood for a long moment, looking at each other; rediscovering a connection that was never really lost, just misplaced.

"We'll get through this, Sanji." Zoro promised.

Sanji smiled at him. "I know. I can get through anything if it's with you."

Zoro's heart melted, and he felt his knees actually getting weak as he fell hard for Sanji for the thousandth time. He squeezed the cook's hand and looked at the ground, giddy with delight.

"You don't know how good that feels to hear you say that…"

Sanji came closer and Zoro looked up to meet the cook's eyes. The blond trailed the fingers of his free hand down Zoro's cheek and whispered against the swordsman's lips, "Yes, I do."

Zoro kissed him then, passionately, enthusiastically, his arms going around the cook's waist to pull Sanji's slim frame against his own. Sanji's hands were on his cheeks, sliding into his hair. The blond was gentle, but insistent in his own way. They kissed long and slow, savoring each other; taking their time like they had not since Sanji's awakening.

Zoro came back down to himself and found he had burrowed into Sanji's neck. The cook held him close, his skinny arms wrapped around his neck. The swordsman inhaled, taking in Sanji's scent and trying to drown himself in it. Zoro decided that when he and his lover cleared up the mess that surrounded them and their friends, he was going to spend several years in this position, imprinting himself into Sanji like a fossil.

"Should we call Ace?" Zoro asked. "Or do you want to stay here a while?"

Sanji kissed the top of Zoro's head and whispered into the swordsman's hair, "Stay like this for a while… Stay with me…"

Zoro could do nothing but oblige.

X x X x X

Chopper threw his battered day planner in his bag and went to the closet. He needed another two or three shirts to get him through the next long shift at the hospital. He was working the clinic tonight and tomorrow morning, and he always managed to get seventeen thousand different mystery substances on his clothes when working the clinic. It was all those kids.

He retrieved two collared shirts from hangers, one red and one white with brown stripes. They would both go nicely with his khakis. Chopper wasn't usually so into his clothes or how well his ensemble fit together, except when it was for work. At the hospital he wanted to appear professional and put together at all times.

A knock on his front door startled him, and he moved into the hallway.

"Who… who is it?" he called out. Who was visiting him at ten o'clock at night?

There was a soft thump against the door. "It's me, Chopper," Usopp called out, his voice suspiciously unsteady. "You got a sec before you go to work?"

Confused, Chopper moved toward the door, but did not open it yet. Something in his best friend's voice scared him. "Yeah, I'm here. Got my hands full though, just a sec."

There was another almost inaudible thump on the door and Chopper's heart started to beat faster.

"Sorry to bother you so late," Usopp continued. "I was just wondering if I could borrow your _Mr. Ed_ box set."

Chopper froze. He himself had used that code with Usopp as a kid when he was in trouble. Before his grandmother had been awarded custody, Chopper was bounced from foster home to foster home, and some of the people he had encountered were not so kind.

"Sure," Chopper choked out. "I gotta put this stuff down in the bedroom real quick, I'll be right back."

Turning back down the hall, Chopper was torn between escaping, and rushing back to help his best friend. The window opened to a small balcony with a fold up metal ladder. He could slip out now, and be down on the street in just a few seconds.

But what about Usopp? What had happened that he was there, at his apartment, using codes that the two of them had not used in ten years!?

Flailing back and forth, Chopper finally decided that it was best he get out and go get help. There wasn't much he could do anyway. He was small and not very strong. He needed to go get Luffy or Zoro, Sanji, Franky- anyone!

Turning back to the window, he unlatched the handle and lifted the pane. He pushed himself up, and got a leg onto the sill before a large figure dressed in black obstructed his vision. The little doctor looked up to see a masked face, and two burning yellow eyes glaring at him through small slits.

"Sorry, Shorty," the masked figure said in a loud, harsh voice, "can't let you get away. Boss wants to see you."

Chopper flew back from the window. Without even thinking, he grabbed for the nearest solid object and hurled it at his assailant. It turned out to be a large picture frame, and glass shattered as the frame struck the wall, inches from the masked man's head.

Shielding his face, Chopper's attacker snarled and started to climb into the apartment.

"You little son of a bitch!" he roared. "I'll get you, you bitch!"

Chopper ran.

The front door burst open as the doctor fled into the living room, and Usopp's screams echoed through the small space.

"RUN CHOPPER! RUN!! _RUUUUUN_!!"

Chopper avoided tripping over the coffee table and vaulted over the couch. He sprinted towards the last window in a row of five, knowing that the last let out to another small balcony. He reached the latch and pulled it down, pushing the window open, he scrambled to get over the sill, but just as he thought he was home free, a strong hand grabbed his leg. Chopper twisted around and landed on the floor on his back as he was pulled back into the apartment. Not ready to give up yet, he reached above his head and grabbed one of his medical journals that he kept on the bottom two shelves of his desk. He chucked it hard at the head of his captor and it connected with a loud _smack_!

"Son of a----!" the attacker cried and released his leg.

Chopper whipped around to try once again to escape out the window, but he froze as a shot rang out. His ears tingled and his breathing suddenly became louder. His eardrums rang fiercely as he turned around, but it was forgotten in an instant, because when he turned back around, there was the masked man from the bedroom, holding the muzzle of a revolver to Usopp's temple. His best friend sobbed, watching him with terrified eyes, but he held himself still and made no sound.

"Now," the attacker from the bedroom said with a chuckle, "you can come with us easy, or make a fuss. I don't really care which way, it's gonna happen no matter what you do. You just have the option of keeping your friend here alive or not.

Tears ran down Chopper's cheeks, but he stood and let his arms be zip-tied. He watched Usopp's agonized face through it all, and wished with all his heart there was something he could do.

"What… what do you want with us?" he asked.

The masked man stepped closer and pulled the cotton cap from his head. Chopper's breath caught as the frightening face beneath was revealed. It seemed to be held together by a crude, studded leather fashioning. One strap ran down the man's forehead, another across his eyebrows, his right cheek, and several more looked like they were holding his jaw together.

"We don't really need anything from you," the metal man said, grinning. "It's your friends, those crazy martial arts types. Boss wants some leverage and you guys fit."

He straightened and motioned over Chopper's head. "Get him outside. Throw him in the trunk."

As another masked man lifted Chopper and slung him over his broad shoulder.

Usopp began to wail again. "YOU SONS OF BITCHES! LET CHOPPER GO! I'LL FUCKING KILL ALL OF YOU, YOU HEAR ME!? BASTARDS!!"

Chopper wanted to tell Usopp to be quiet, he was all right, don't get yourself hurt for me, but he wasn't fast enough. The metal-faced man returned and cracked Usopp over the head with the butt of his revolver. Usopp slumped in his captor's arms and a small trickle of blood ran from his temple to his chin.

Chopper saw red. His heart started to beat so violently, it seemed it would explode right out his chest. Blood pumped hotly through his veins, setting Chopper's every extremity on fire. He felt invincible, like he could do anything, and he wondered in that brief second if this is what Sanji and Zoro always talked about; that high they experienced before a battle. The adrenaline rush before they opened up and pounded someone.

A scream of fury erupted from Chopper's lungs, and he tore himself from the arms of his captor. He whirled around and head butted the man in the stomach, making sure his center of force was directed at the solar plexus. He drove the big man back, ramming him into the book case and knocking the wind right out of him. Chopper then turned and charged full throttle at the man that held his best friend. He ducked low, remembering countless times when he'd seen Zoro or Sanji take out a man's legs. He mimicked the action, grabbing the man's knees and twisting, ripping the gracilis and the semitendinosus muscles as he flew through to the other side.

There was a startled cry, and Usopp's captor went down. Chopper grabbed a small stone statue of a frog from the coffee table and, in his single-minded fury, raised it over his head to strike the man's skull.

He didn't hear the metal-faced man step up behind him.

"I knew you two were gonna be a pain in my ass."

Metal-face brought his revolver down, and Chopper went from seeing red, to seeing nothing.

**TBC**

**A/N** – Chopper is not dead, don't be silly. I would never do that, just so you know. x)


	24. Chapter 24

Yes, there is another chapter. It's all plot. Plot, plot, plot. But I like it so hah!

I've kind of picked up a rhythm again finally with this fic, so I don't think the chapters are going to come as slowly anymore. I've already started on chapter 25. Hopefully I can keep it up. I'm not going to be a review whore and ask for reviews or anything, but come on, we all know they help. I likes to know peeps are reading and liking. x)

Thank you, thank you so much for all the reviews! Lately, there have been some readers that have really just made my day with their kind comments, and helpful con/crit. Thank you again! xD Enjoy!

**Chapter 24**

Ace slipped out the front door of the diner with Luffy's happy laughter ringing in his ears. How his brother could get along with such a weird guy was beyond him. At that moment, the clown/cop, whatever he was, was balancing a spoon on his nose and banging the tune to 'Jingle Bells' on their water glasses.

Well, whatever. It wasn't like Luffy couldn't take care of himself. This new friendship would probably prove to be profitable in the near future anyway.

The older Portgus brother pulled out his cell phone as he made himself comfortable on the outside tables. He punched in the number Smoker had given him, and leaned back as _Back in Black_ by AC/DC played in his ear. Tired from his long night, and with the soothing sounds of a good rock song in his head, Ace started to nod off.

He awoke abruptly when a deep voice came through the receiver. "Organized Crime Department, this is Captain Drum."

Blinking fatigue out of his eyes, Ace cleared his throat. "Uh yeah, hello, my name is Ace Portgus. I'm the Fire Chief of the North Seattle Fire and Rescue department. Do you have an officer there, goes by the name Dalton?"

"Yeah, that's me." The Captain on the other end seemed curt and unfriendly, but Ace pressed on. Smoker seemed that way at first pass too, so he would give this Dalton a chance.

"Oh, good." Ace sat up to clear his head a bit. "I'm calling 'cause I was referred to you by Seattle Police Chief Smoker?"

Dalton was silent for a moment, but Ace could hear the sound of people chatting and other telephones ringing in the background. A door closed and the noise ceased.

"What did you say your name was?" Dalton asked. "Portgus? Like, Ace and Luffy Portgus?

"Yeah, that's me," Ace replied, a smile tugging at his lips. He had long ago gotten used to people he had never heard of knowing his name. "I know this is kind of out of the blue, but I need some help."

"No, no." Dalton's voice had softened, and a much more friendly nature came through as he spoke. "It's okay. I've heard a lot about you and your brother from Smoker. He talks about you guys like you guys were his own kids. But I'm the head of the Organized Crime division. What could I possibly help you with?"

Ace chuckled thinking about how this was going to sound to an outsider; even one that dealt with these kinds of people on a daily basis. "It's, well… kind of a long story. I don't want to take up all your time if you're busy."

"It's perfectly fine," Dalton said, and Ace could hear the smile in his words. "Any friend of Smoker's is a friend of mine. And besides, I was about to go crazy with all the BS I've had to deal with today. This will be a nice break."

Ace laughed out loud. "I don't know if this will be much of a break, man. Better get some coffee and settle in, this is a real fucked up story."

X x X x X

Sanji huddled close to Zoro on the bench as the swordsman punched a phone number into his cell phone. The blond rested his head on his lover's shoulder and sighed. He felt drained from everything that was happening to them. The constant stress of shock and revelation had worn his nerves down to thin fibers. Zoro had been essential to him the last hour, just by being close and supportive in his silence. Sanji was sure if his green-haired lover had not been there, he would have fallen apart.

"Hey, Kaku, it's me," Zoro said into his phone. "Where are you right now?"

Zoro's arm came around Sanji's shoulders as the blond listened to their friend's soft voice through the receiver. Sanji nuzzled into Zoro's warmth and closed his eyes.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble," Zoro continued, "Sanji and I are down at the pier and we need a ride to the club… Yes, right now. We need to talk to Lucci… Yeah, just down by the docks, you'll see us… Thanks, bro."

Sanji felt Zoro shove the phone into his pocket and then shift position to get both arms around his shoulders. The cook slipped one arm inside the swordsman's jacket and held onto his lover like his life depended on it.

"Sanji…" Zoro whispered into his hair. "You okay?"

Sanji let out a breath slowly. "Zoro, what if…"

Zoro nuzzled his hair. "What?"

"What if, um…" Sanji swallowed and forced his fears past his lips, "what if all this is my fault?"

Zoro's arms released the cook's body and his hands gripped Sanji's biceps. The swordsman gently pushed back so he could frown questioningly into his lover's face.

"I'm sorry?"

Sanji sighed. "Let's just be realistic here: I know me, you obviously know me. Can you see me learning all that shit about Kaya and how someone was threatening Usopp, and then just promising to lay low for a few days? I mean… I've never laid low in my entire life! That thing about me promising not to tell anyone--that whole story is so completely bull shit!"

Zoro ran his thumbs over the muscles in Sanji's arms, wanting to soothe, but feeling his own instincts starting to fire up. Sanji was making sense; something about the story Pell had told them didn't add up.

"So… what do you think you did?"

"I don't know." Sanji shrugged, defeated. "I'm just…" He trailed off and let his eyes fall to his lap. He didn't want to voice his thoughts, as if saying them aloud would give them tangibility.

Zoro raised a hand and ran his thumb over Sanji's lower lip. "You're just what?"

Sanji leaned forward, nuzzling into Zoro's collar. He didn't want the swordsman to see his weakness written so plainly on his face.

"I um…" The cook's fingers tightened their grip on the leather of Zoro's sleeves. "I don't know. I'm just scared. I hate the missing pieces. I hate not knowing what's happening or what happened to me--what I did…"

Zoro kissed the top of Sanji's head. "Don't worry, I've already braced myself for hearing that you did something crazy-stupid. It's just what you do."

Sanji pushed away, laughing and punching at Zoro's jaw and chest.

"You son of a bitch! I'm all trying to be serious, and you're being a dick! What the fuck?!"

Zoro laughed as he blocked Sanji's playful attacks with wrists and forearms. The cook got in a few good hits, but the swordsman managed to come out with his face still in one piece.

"Seriously though, Zoro," Sanji said after their play had ceased. He took the swordsman's hands in his own and gripped them tightly in his lap. "I'm… I'm already really… attached to you even though it's only been a few weeks--for me. So if we find out I did something stupid, or I did something that--"

"It doesn't matter, Sanji," Zoro growled.

"Let me finish." Sanji glared and Zoro relented.

"If we find out I did something stupid in those two days between talking to Kaya and our accident... and that maybe I'm the reason for all this shit that's happened to us… Just promise you won't…"

"Won't what?" Zoro asked, his eyes wide.

Sanji sighed. He was going to sound like a complete pussy, but whatever.

"Just promise you won't hate me. I can't… The way I am now, I can't lose you. I'm not strong like that. Like you."

The swordsman brought his lips close to Sanji's and pulled his hands free of the cook's grip. He slid his touch underneath Sanji's jacket and held the slender man's hips.

"You are strong, Sanji. I wouldn't love you as much as I do if you weren't. You've been through hell, and come out better than I ever could. But, even so, I promise I'll never hate you. I _could never_ hate you."

Sanji watched the swordsman's dark eyes and tilted his chin to kiss his lover's jaw. He was about to lift his lips to Zoro's cheeks, when a car horn sounded from the top of the pier. The two men turned to see Kaku's Lexus rolling through the parking lot towards them. They stood and met their friend as he turned into the turn-around.

"So," Kaku asked and smiled as Sanji opened the passenger side door, "what in blue blazes?"

Zoro slid into the back seat and slammed the door behind him.

"It's way too fucking long of a story to tell in the car. Just take us to Lucci and you'll hear everything."

X x X x X

Ace sat quietly, letting the information settle on Dalton. It was a lot, even for someone who lived and breathed that world. The dark-haired man sipped on the coke he had just ordered, and pulled a small pill bottle from his jacket pocket. He was getting more fatigued by the minute, and if his meds didn't kick in quickly, he was going to konk out right there in front of the café.

"Okay," Dalton growled through the receiver. Ace heard the clicking of a keyboard, and papers rustling. "This actually makes a lot of sense."

Ace almost choked. "Excuse me?"

There was more clicking, and Dalton shouting to someone on his end, "Sanchez! Get me my files on Seattle!" His voice returned to the phone and lost its drill sergeant's edge. "Okay, I got an undercover guy working the scene down here. Let me get a message to him about all this—probably nothing he doesn't already know— but I'll brief him anyway. He can get himself up to you guys at the latest… tomorrow morning. He'll be much more help to you there than I could ever be to you over the phone."

Ace couldn't think of anything to say besides, "Uh… thanks…"

"It's no problem." Dalton chuckled. "Law's one of my best guys. He's a little strung out doing this undercover thing for the last few years, but he's good. I trust him. He's made it big in that world, and he carries some serious clout. Lucci can vouch for your guys, but another boss coming in from another family is artillery to be envied."

"That's really awesome of you, man," Ace said. "I don't know how to th-"

"No need for thanks," Dalton said gently. "You're like family to my best friend."

Ace rubbed at his eyes. He could tell Dalton was a stand up guy, someone that Ace and his friends would get along with. He would probably fit right in at barbeques and poker nights, talking politics with Smoker and Chopper, and swooning over the food Sanji would make, right along with everyone else.

"You should take a vacation sometime, Dalton. Come up here, have a few beers."

Dalton chuckled again softly. "I really can't express how good that sounds right now. I'd love to see Smoker, been too long away from home."

"You from here?" Ace asked.

"Born and raised. But the wife grew up in LA and wanted to be close to family when the kids were born."

"You have kids?"

"Two, they're a couple hands full."

Ace laughed. "Well, whenever you get time off, we'll put you up."

"Thank you for that." Dalton sighed. "Not sure that'll happen any time soon, I got a lot of… stuff to deal with here. But… thank you."

"Any time." Ace heard the sadness in the officer's voice, but didn't press. He was going to get on Smoker to get this guy up to Seattle, but that was a trial for another time.

"So where are we going to meet this guy? You said his name was Law?"

"Yup." Dalton returned to typing a storm on the keyboard. "He'll probably fly in early tomorrow, and if this is your cell number you calling from, I'll just give him that. He'll contact you."

"Got it." Ace drained the rest of his coke and stood.

"Oh, and Ace?"

"Yeah."

Dalton lowered his voice. "Law is a good guy, I meant that. But he never goes anywhere without his right hand guy. He's made for real--not a cop, so be careful. Law trusts him, and he's always come through… but the getting there…"

"We'll be careful," Ace said, completely understanding. The Portgus brothers had plenty of shady friends they trusted with their lives. "What's the guy's name?"

"His name's Kidd," Dalton answered. "And just… be wary. He's one mean son of a bitch."

X x X x X

Zoro had never been to the third floor of the club. He had been invited up to the second with Sanji back when they had first joined CP9, but it was only that one time for drinks. Only the club owner and a few select members were allowed up those forbidding stairs into Crocodile's office and living quarters.

The place had an old time Italian feel to it. Imported rugs, crystal ware, and expensive looking art were the least of the lavish décor. A giant wooden desk that was clean of papers and other clutter sat in front of the impressive double windows. Silhouetted by the light of the mid afternoon sun, dressed in his usual black from head to toe, was none other than their captain, Lucci. Zoro had a moment to wonder where Crocodile was, but then Kaku was moving passed them and through the next set of doors.

Lucci said nothing as Zoro and Sanji followed Kaku past the office, and into a sitting room. Tuscan furniture and an over-the-top wall mount fireplace made Zoro start to wonder exactly where the money Sanji and him were making in their fights was going.

"Just have a seat wherever." Kaku was his usual friendly self. But, as Zoro knew, that meant nothing. Kaku trampled fighters in the pit every night with the nicest, most friendly smile on his face you would ever see. He could have been planning their demise at that very moment, but they would never know.

Sanji sat warily as Kaku moved to the fully stocked bar against the far wall. He pulled out a bottle of St. Michelle Merlot and two glasses. After setting down the glasses, he bent to reach into a fridge under the counter. Straightening, he tossed a bottle of Heineken to Zoro.

"Thanks," Zoro said, trying to remember that Kaku--that all of CP9, despite their connections, were actually their friends. There really was no reason to be on his toes around them like he was now. Kaku had stood beside Zoro through a lot of the bad times last year. It would be kind of a shitty thing to do if he didn't believe in him at least a little.

"So," Kaku started as he brought the glasses and bottle of Merlot to the couch. He filled one glass and offered it to Sanji, who readily took it and downed a long swallow. "I got an inkling that you two aren't here about nothin' fun."

"We need to talk to Lucci," Sanji said quietly.

Kaku smiled and poured himself a glass. "Well, that can be arranged, but if you're here to talk to him about club matters, it won't do you no good. Lucci don't pay any attention to the club unless it's one of CP9 raising our ranking."

Zoro moved to the chair across from Sanji, taking his usual place as the blond's backup.

"Now…" Kaku set the bottle on the coffee table and leaned back, rolling the red liquid around in his glass like Zoro had seen Sanji do a million times. "If you two are here to talk _business_ business… then I'm your man. No one talks to Lucci without talking to me first."

Zoro sat confused, but Sanji seemed to understand immediately. The blond looked at Kaku through his eyelashes and smiled softly.

"_You're_ the underboss."

Kaku raised his glass. "Always knew you were a quick one, Sanji. Been wonderin' how to get you made for a long time."

Sanji raised his hands. "No, no. We're not looking to get made. We just… need some help."

Kaku nodded. "I know, your little friends--that princess and her mechanic lover with the nose. We already had this discussion. You forget or somethin'?"

Sanji put a hand over his eyes and sighed heavily. "Uh, well… yeah."

"Sanji…" Zoro growled.

Sanji looked up at him and gestured with his wine glass. "What am I supposed to say, Zoro? We need their help, and I can't get it if we keep lying to them."

"Lying?" Kaku sat forward. "Lying about what?"

Sanji downed the rest of his wine and set the glass on the table. "Uh, okay… this is kind of embarrassing, so work with me."

X x X x X

Chopper awoke to darkness and searing pain. His head felt as if it had been split open, and all its contents stirred roughly with a wooden spoon. He wasn't sure why the image of a wooden spoon was so prominent in his mind's eye, but that's what he was sure had mucked up his brains.

He slowly rolled to the side, carefully feeling for any tenderness in his abdomen and ribs. Internal bleeding would just be icing on a very icky cake. Judging that his insides were okay, he moved his hips and wiggled his toes, making sure nothing of his lower half was broken.

His leg brushed up against something solid and warm. The little doctor froze when he realized there was someone in the dark beside him, and he was no doubt injured. Chopper sat up abruptly, trying to ignore the pounding of his head, and reached out in the darkness. His hands found an arm and a chest, his fingers probed for the person's neck to locate a pulse.

When slender hands gripped his wrists, Chopper almost screamed. He pulled, trying to free himself, but succeeded in nothing but helping his captor to an upright position.

"Let me go!" Chopper yelped. "Let me go! _Let me go!_"

Chopper was so hysterical he hadn't noticed his name had been called out several times. When the other person pushed him to the ground and covered his mouth, Chopper finally heard him and stopped struggling.

"Chopper, it's me! It's Usopp! Stop flailing, you're gonna kick my nuts!"

The smaller man froze again. Tears welled in his eyes, and he hated himself once again for breaking down at the drop if a hat. Chopper slipped out of Usopp's grasp and threw his arms around his best friend's neck.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I didn't know it was you! I'm sorry!"

"It's okay… It's okay, Chopper." Usopp hugged him back and let himself fall backward against the wall. Chopper came with him into his lap, and the two sat in darkness, not moving for what could have been hours.

"Where are we?" Chopper finally asked into Usopp's t-shirt.

"I don't know," Usopp replied, his voice high and frightened. "I have no idea."

"What are we going to do?"

Usopp just shook his head. "I don't think we can do anything…"

Chopper felt Usopp trembling against him, and couldn't help but shake right along with him. "Luffy will save us though, right? Zoro and Sanji and Ace--someone will come. Right?"

"I'm…" Usopp swallowed thickly. "I'm sure they will, Chopper. I'm sure they'll come soon."

Chopper held his friend tighter, wishing for the first time in his life that his friend was a better liar.

X x X x X

Kaku stared at Sanji over his long nose. He had removed his cap, and his red hair stuck up in interesting--almost super-saiyan ways. To his credit, Kaku had taken their story the best out of everyone they had told so far. He looked as if he was contemplating a very minor business exchange. No surprise, no anger or fear, just quietly thinking.

"So…" he finally said, "that first night you came back to the club… you didn't actually remember me?"

Sanji shook his head. "I'd never seen you before in my life—according to me."

"And… Zoro…" Kaku pointed to the swordsman and glanced his way out the corner of his eye. "You didn't really know him either?"

"Uh." Sanji shifted uncomfortably. "No, I knew him. Just not… the same way as before… like, uh…"

"You didn't remember _being_ with him," Kaku finished, turning back to Sanji with eyes wide. "You didn't know any of us, _and_ you were pretending to be with Zoro, when you didn't even know you were gay yet?"

Sanji sighed and ran a hand over his eyes. "Yeah, remember the whole 'this is embarrassing' part?"

Kaku stood abruptly, slipping past the coffee table to pace the floor. Zoro held his beer bottle tight in case the other man decided to attack him or Sanji. Zoro had not the faintest clue how Kaku was taking all this. The man's face betrayed nothing but wonder as he moved from one end of the room to another.

Suddenly, Kaku stopped. He turned to Sanji, and Zoro braced himself for launching out of his chair to defend the blond.

"Damn…" Kaku breathed. "Damn, Sanji. You're the best darn conman I ever come across!"

Sanji's eyes widened. His shoulder's relaxed, and he slumped in his seat.

"I—I am?"

Zoro backed down, nothing in Kaku's manner said he was planning on fighting.

"You had every one of us fooled, brother!" Kaku continued merrily. "They way you talked to the other members, watching you all squirrely while Zoro was fightin'! Never would have guessed that was all acting!"

Sanji blushed and rung his hands absently. "Uh… well, it wasn't _all_ acting."

Kaku laughed and stuck his head out into the office. "Lucci! Lucci, you hear this, man? Sanji got one over on you good!"

"I heard him." Lucci's deep voice sounded just outside the door. "But I'm more interested in the part about how he's forgotten about his situation."

Zoro's skin crawled. _His situation?_ The phrase rolled off Lucci's tongue like a death sentence. What did he mean by that? What situation had Sanji gotten himself into?

"Why don't you come in, Lucci?" Kaku motioned with his hand as he came back across the room and plopped back down on the couch. "Take a breather, sit for a while. Let's re-inform our cook friend with everything he's forgot."

Lucci stepped over the threshold and closed the door gently behind him. Zoro's hackles rose on instinct. He still did not feel threatened by anyone here, but he knew it was probably a good idea to be on his guard at all times anyway.

The tall dark-haired man pulled a cigar from his inside pocket and lit up. He handed the lighter to Sanji, who followed suit with a cigarette.

"So I assume the situation is still the same as it was last year, when you came to us before."

Sanji looked at Lucci, horrified at the large man's words. "Came to you before? When did I come to you before?"

"Not even a day before your accident," Lucci explained. "It was late at night. You came in bleeding, but not severely injured. You said that after leaving a friend's house, some men had attacked you--"

"_What!?_" Zoro's insides ignited.

"Please calm yourself, Zoro." Lucci held up a hand. "He was going to tell you, but circumstances made it impossible. I told him to wait."

Zoro stood, rage making him see nothing but red. "Why does everyone think that keeping shit from me is going to help? I am so fucking tired of hearing that fucked up stuff's going down with my friends, and _my family_, but nobody's saying shit! _What good am I if I can't protect the people I love because I don't know what's going on!?_"

Lucci stood and came face to face with Zoro. He held the swordsman's gaze with his midnight black eyes and swallowed the shorter man in his foreboding and intensely frightening presence.

"Maybe you should sit and listen to the rest of the story." Lucci growled. "If you can get over yourself for one minute, you will see that your family _was_ protected. At no small cost to mine, I might add."

Zoro swallowed. He wasn't sure if he could take Lucci. Not without a sword and with Kaku standing right there. Even with Sanji's help, the two of them might not make it back out of the office, so he reined in his rage and slowly sank back into his chair.

Kaku wasted no time. "Sanji came to us because he'd just learned about your princess friend's situation first hand. The house where he had been was bugged, not surprising considering the guy is—what's her name? Kaya?" Lucci nodded at him. "Kaya's brother. They've been watching her whole family for a long time."

Zoro glanced at Sanji. The blond looked drained. His skin was pale and his eyes were tired and worn. The cook looked up at him but quickly looked away. Zoro suddenly felt shame for his outburst a moment ago. They had just talked about how Zoro would react, no matter what the blond had done, and then he immediately went and freaked out without even hearing the whole story.

"So, what's the Cugine's name, Lucci?" Kaku asked. "One, or Won or something?"

"Real name is Bones," Lucci answered.

"Oh yeah," Kaku scratched at his head. "Guy's a real bastard. But, what can you expect; he's working for a bastard. Anywho, the house was bugged and the guys sittin' out across the street listening in, jump Sanji, and our favorite blondie feeds 'em some concrete. He comes straight here, asking for Croc—which is real funny by the way 'cause old man Crocodile got nothin' to do with the scene anymore. We like people to think he does though, keeps the heat off us." Kaku laughed then, his face still seemingly kind and friendly. It was beginning to creep Zoro out.

"Stay with the story, Kaku,"Lucci muttered.

"Ah, my apologies." Kaku cleared his throat and sat forward. "So he comes here, bashes in the door to the office, three-four guys trying to hold him down, but can't. Sanji's on a rampage. I get a call, come up here, and he's all red in the face, telling me if I don't get Crocodile I'm gonna feel his foot so far up my ass, it'll be in my throat."

Zoro couldn't stop his smile, there was no way. That story was so classic Sanji that the swordsman almost had to bite his lip.

"He told me what happened," Kaku continued, "I told him we could help, but there was no way we could make a move right away."

"Why not?" Sanji asked.

Lucci continued. "We've known about this little renegade faction for a while. Supposedly Blackbeard wants total control of everything, and is planning on taking out the Head Boss sometime. It's been said he's gonna give Bones this area when he takes over."

"Like, your area?" Sanji asked, looking confused for the first time.

Lucci laughed. "I think you misunderstand. I am not the area Capo, I am just the Consigliere. I work as the Capo's right hand."

Sanji scratched his chin. "Oh…"

"So what does that have to do with this?" Zoro asked.

"Well…" Kaku lifted his arms to the back of the couch. He reclined and placed his feet on the coffee table. "Since Blackbeard's little group has been under our radar for a while, we already knew who they were watchin'; who they were followin'. You know how Kaya's brother's house was bugged and under surveillance?"

Zoro and Sanji both nodded.

Kaku smiled, and this time it was cruel. "His house ain't the only one that got bugged."

Zoro blinked. What did that mean? He looked at Sanji, confused. The blond stared back at him, the gears turning in his head.

"Wait, wait." Sanji put up a hand. "You're not telling us what I think you're telling us, are you?"

Kaku's smile widened. "Oh, yeah."

Sanji's manner changed abruptly. His killing intent suddenly burst forth and filled the room with electricity. Zoro felt goose bumps break out over his arms and down his back.

Then it hit the swordsman as well.

"Woah! Wait a minute! What the fuck--"

"Oh ho, there they go!" Kaku laughed. Zoro had just enough presence of mind to glance at Lucci. The dark-haired man was shaking his head and even though there was no outward show of emotion, Zoro knew he was laughing at them as well.

"You have got to be fucking kidding," Zoro said. "This is fucking crazy."

"Crazy doesn't _begin_ to describe this cluster-fuck!" Sanji snarled.

Kaku's laugh died down and he motioned for them to sit. He leaned forward and refilled Sanji's wine glass. When the cook took it and emptied half the contents, the long-nosed man snickered.

"Better slow down, Champ. You don't got the tolerance for tossin' them back like that."

"Shut up," Sanji growled. "I'm gonna start breaking all your nice shit if I don't."

"You really must sit and listen to the rest." Kaku motioned to the chairs again.

"There's more?" Cold dread started to eat away at Zoro's insides.

"Of course," Lucci said as he sat back and laced his fingers together under his chin. "You think a tap on your apartment would be sufficient to stop Monsieur Cook?"

Zoro wanted to leave. He wanted to take Sanji and go far far away where no one could hurt them, or bring up more stories of things his lover could not remember. He saw this exchange was eating Sanji alive. He knew the blond hated being in the dark. He hated the unknown, and this situation was no doubt wearing the cook's nerves down to almost non-existent fibers.

Despite his anger, the swordsman sat, trying to catch Sanji's eye and let him know that they would make it through all this. Zoro wasn't going anywhere and they were going to get past all this shit together.

Sanji pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. He sighed heavily and spoke softly and carefully. "So, just get to the point. What were these guys doing, or what had they started that stopped me from grabbing Zoro and just heading out to fuck some shit up?"

"Well," Lucci said quietly, still sitting back comfortably in the large armchair. "You understand how Blackbeard's men manipulated Kaya to do what they wanted by threatening Usopp?"

Sanji nodded.

"Well, what they did with you was similar." Lucci sat forward. "The reason you came here, and not straight home that night, was because the men who attacked you threatened you like they did with Kaya. They told you if you made a move, if you talked, if you so much as breathed a word of what was happening to anyone, they would kill one of your friends."

Zoro's heart started to pound. Sweat started to trickle down the back of his neck as he watched Sanji's reaction.

"Who… who did they say they were going to kill?" the cook's voice cracked.

"That little doctor friend of yours," Kaku stated.

Zoro swallowed a thick thump in his throat. "Ch… Chopper?"

Lucci turned to him and nodded. "They had his place wired like nothing I've ever seen before. They had people outside, people holed up in the apartment next door… it was crazy. They knew, of everyone connected to you two, he was the best bet to get you to cooperate."

A tug on the back of Zoro's mind distracted him. As he watched Sanji turn and start pacing the room slowly, the tug became an itch, and the itch grew to slowly start gnawing at his insides. Something felt wrong. Something bad was happening, or was going to happen soon, and the swordsman didn't know where or what it was. The feeling ate at him nevertheless, and he found himself slipping his hand in his pocket for his cell phone.

"Hey, Zoro," Sanji said from the window.

Zoro glanced up and studied the back of Sanji's head. "Yeah?"

"Can you, um…" the cook's stance was anxious, which in turn, caused Zoro to feel even less at ease.

"Can you call Chopper, please?"

Deciding to put the fact that he and Sanji had the exact same thought at the same time away for contemplating later, Zoro pulled out his cell and scrolled down the list of contacts.

"No problem."

"Should be fine now," Kaku said, sipping the rest of Sanji's wine. "We went through his house after your guy's accident. Should be clear."

"_Should…_" Zoro repeated. "But it _was_ a year ago."

He let the phone ring until the call waiting picked up. Then he hung up and tried again, this time leaving a message when their friend didn't answer.

"Chopper, this is Zoro. Give me a call when you get this, it's important."

When he flipped the phone closed, he looked up to see Sanji staring at him with frightened eyes.

"Zoro…" he said quietly. "You think meeting that guy in the park…?"

Lucci unfolded his arms and gripped the arms of the chair. "Guy? You met a guy in the park? What guy?"

"One of your guys." Sanji turned to him. "I don't think you'd know him though."

"Wrong," Kaku muttered, sing-song. "We know _all_ our guys."

"He's just one of your dealers," Sanji said. "He calls himself Buggy."

Lucci and Kaku exchanged a brief look before Lucci frowned and turned to Zoro.

"Your friend, Chopper, he's working right now?"

Zoro nodded, and was already dialing the number for the hospital before Lucci could tell him to do it.

The receptionist that answered the phone was friendly and worked fast. Zoro was on hold for less than a minute before she returned and told him that Dr. Charlton had not shown up for his shift that morning. Zoro thanked her, and hung up.

"Oh shit." He looked at Sanji, and the cook's eyes were a reflection of his own fear.

Kaku slumped on the couch, propping his feet back up on the coffee table.

"You might want to go check out your friend's place."

"Uh… yeah," Sanji choked out before Zoro stood, and the two of them moved quickly to the doors.

"We'll be here if you need us," Lucci said over his shoulder.

"Thank you," Sanji said as they slipped out.

The drive to Chopper's apartment was the longest Zoro had ever experienced--except for maybe the drive in the ambulance after the crash as he held a dying Sanji's hand. But his mind had been a little foggy back then and his sense of time had been skewed.

"Shit… mother fucking shit…" Sanji cursed as he drove. "I don't want to admit it, but it all makes sense, kind of. If I had Chopper's safety hanging over my head… that would be the one thing that would keep my mouth shut for a bit… I could stand down, even from you, for a day or two if it meant keeping Chopper safe."

"I can't even think of…" Zoro's heart pounded and his chest felt excruciatingly tight. "Jesus, Sanji… what are we going to do if he's not there?"

"Call Usopp." Sanji pointed to Zoro's phone.

Zoro did, but again, there was no answer.

"Oh my fucking god," Zoro breathed. "Sanji… oh my god…"

"Shut up." Sanji's hands were shaking as he turned down Chopper's street. "Don't say anything until we get there."

They burst through the doors and bypassed the elevator. They scrambled up the stairs and sprinted down the long hallway to Chopper's door.

"Chopper!" Sanji pounded on the solid wood, not caring who he disturbed from the other residences. "Chopper, if you're there answer me, buddy!"

Zoro fished out his keys and frantically searched for the familiar, oval head. He felt his lungs were going to collapse as he pushed the key into the lock and shoved the door open. Sanji was on his heels as he stormed through the entry.

"Chopper!" Zoro called out, so horrified that he was close to tears.

Sanji, on the other hand, was a storm of anger. He pushed passed the swordsman and into the living room. He paused at the doorway as Zoro started up the stairs.

"Zoro…" Sanji's voice made him freeze; his heart stopped, his blood ran cold.

"Don't tell me," Zoro growled. "If he's in there don't tell me."

"He's not," Sanji said softly. "He's not here, Zoro. They got him. They got Usopp too."

"How--?" Zoro turned around and moved to stand with his lover in the doorway. The sight before him made him burn with anger, and he felt the heated touch of Sanji's hand on his arm.

The living room was in shambles. Whoever had taken Chopper had left nothing untouched. Furniture was in pieces and spread across the room, the window was broken, books, files and papers were scattered everywhere.

And scrawled across the walls in black marker were the words:

_We have them. Back off or they're dead._

"Zoro…" Sanji's voice had taken on an almost dazed quality. "Is that… is that blood?"

Zoro looked at the carpet before Sanji's feet and felt what was left of his battered heart drop into the pit of his gut. He felt nauseous as his eyes took in the brown stain the size of his hand. There was no telling whose blood it was, but the thought that it might be Chopper's made Zoro want to toss everything he had in his stomach.

"Yeah," he rasped. "It's blood."

Sanji turned to him then and grabbed at his jacket.

"Zoro… Zoro… they're gonna…" The cook was speaking into his chest. "Fuck… fuck… I'm gonna get them killed--we're gonna get them killed…"

Zoro looked at Sanji then, and the sight of the blond holding onto him, clinging desperately to him like he needed Zoro to survive, awakened the swordsman, and brought him back from that dangerous edge he had been peering over.

He took the cook's cheeks in his hands and forced Sanji to look at him.

"Sanji…" he said firmly.

Sanji's clouded eyes found him then, and cleared when their gazes met. The blond's hands found his own and Sanji took a deep breath.

"I'm here," he said simply.

Zoro nodded. "So am I." He kissed Sanji's forehead and slid his hands to the back of the cook's neck. He spoke to reassure himself as much as he did for the blond. "We're gonna find them. We're gonna find them, I promise. We'll get them back and--"

"I know… I know…" Sanji looked close to tears as well. The blond slid his arms around Zoro's neck and held the larger man close. "Oh my God, Zoro, I hope they're okay."

Zoro put his arms around Sanji, needing to give the comfort as much as give it. "They better be okay…"

Sanji sniffed. "I'm not gonna be able to handle it if something happens to them. I can't… not when this is because of us." The cook let out a soft sob and held Zoro desperately tight. "This is so fucking stupid… so stupid… God damnit, I can't believe this… shit… _shit_…"

Zoro studied the black letters on the wall as Sanji broke down against him. He knew the cook was beyond strained. He had been pulled in a thousand different ways in the last few weeks, and now the weight of everything being put on their shoulders was more than anyone could take without some kind of collapse. Zoro himself wanted to curl up in a hole with his lover and just sleep away the outside world for years.

But Zoro also knew that this wasn't permanent. Sanji would bounce back, like he always did, to stand beside him and take back what was theirs. The swordsman would give him this moment. He would let Sanji be broken and weak, and not just because the cook needed it. He would let Sanji have this now because it also showed just how much Sanji had come to trust him. The Sanji of two weeks ago would have rather died than lay himself open like this to the swordsman.

Besides, being there and being a rock for Sanji healed Zoro in its own way. Being needed and trusted like this pieced back together parts of Zoro he had forgotten he had lost. He steadied himself by steadying Sanji, and braced his mind and heart for what lay ahead.

Sanji's breathing slowed, and he pushed gently away to wipe at his eyes. Zoro noticed he did not apologize, and that little gesture meant as much to him as Sanji's opening up.

"I'm okay now…" Sanji said quietly.

Zoro nodded, rubbing circles into Sanji's arms. "What now?"

Sanji looked up at him then, and saw the readiness in the swordsman's eyes. He studied his lover for a long moment, but then the smallest of smiles tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I love you, Zoro," he whispered.

Zoro, caught off guard, blinked and stammered a reply. "I love you too."

Sanji took a step back and straightened his collar. He smoothed out his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Now…" he stated, and Zoro thrilled at the calm assurance that had come back into his voice, "we retaliate."

Zoro cocked an eyebrow. "How?"

"Call Ace."

**TBC**


	25. Chapter 25

I know, you're like 'What the hell? It's only been a couple weeks! There's no way Stark's got another chapter up!" but, my friends I do. I have had some inspiration recently (cough) Kidd and Law mostly (cough) and this chapter just kind of fell out of my head like... ear wax or... snot. Anyway, I really hope you like it! We're getting down to the last bit! I'm so sad to see it finally ending, but so happy to almost have it done!! xDD

**Memories Chapter 25**

"So we seriously are just supposed to sit around until these guys get here?" Sanji was fuming as he scraped violently at the frying pan. "They're coming from fucking California! How much time do they think we have to sit around with our thumbs up our asses!?"

Long strips of beef sizzled in oil and spices. The smell made Zoro's mouth water as he closed the apartment door behind Ace and Luffy. The swordsman caught the exhausted look on Ace's face as the older man smiled and made his way inside. His tanned skin was graying, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Zoro decided to let the older Portgus eat, but then he was going to bed if the swordsman had to club him over the head.

The brothers made a direct line from the entrance to the stools at the island. If Ace and Luffy were one thing, it was predictable. It had been at least an hour, maybe two since they had eaten last, so of course, they were no doubt starving.

"These guys can help us, Sanji." Ace's easy smile was gone and replaced with an expressionless stare. "One's a cop and a boss at the same time."

Zoro glanced at Luffy. He was staring at the wood finish of the island, his hands folded neatly in his lap. The swordsman worried for his gangly friend. Nothing set the younger Portgus brother off like his friends being threatened or hurt. He had said next to nothing as Ace relayed the news of Chopper and Usopp to him while Zoro listened over the phone, and it had troubled the swordsman greatly. Quiet, serious, Luffy was scary, but _silent_ Luffy was a ticking time bomb of destruction.

Sanji continued to grumble over the stove as he added snap peas and bean sprouts to the pan. Water chestnuts and a few other things Zoro couldn't identify followed. The cook had opted for making stir fry for dinner, because anything else available required chopping, and chopping plus angry Sanji were a very hazardous combination.

"It really shouldn't be that long," Ace yawned. "Flights from Cali only take about an hour and a half."

"Fucking standing around… bull-shit…" Sanji growled under his breath. "…in fucking trouble… stupid, stupid…"

Zoro took a seat beside Ace and folded his arms over the island top. "So this Dalton guy works with Smoker--er, worked I guess?"

Ace nodded. "He went through academy with Smoker and then moved to Cali after he got married. I talked to Smoker again on the way over here and he said Dalton's one of the best cops he knows. Unfortunately, I guess he's having some serious problems with his wife, so he's totally stressed and totally strung out, but Smoker swears by him."

"And you really, really trust this Smoker guy?" Sanji said asked over his shoulder.

Ace ran his hands through his hair, and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. "Absolutely. I trust him like I trust you guys."

Zoro nodded. "Okay then. We'll trust him too."

Ace turned and smiled at Zoro. "Thank you."

Sanji tossed his spatula in the sink and turned off the stove. He grabbed his wine glass from the counter and headed past the island. "Go ahead and dish yourselves up, I'll eat later." He pulled his pack from his pocket and was already lighting up as he left the kitchen.

"He okay?" Ace asked as Zoro pulled out plates.

Zoro shrugged. "He'll be fine."

Ace nodded, accepting the plate from Zoro and looking gleeful as the swordsman loaded him up with the fantastic smelling stir fry. "Should Luffy and I leave for a little while? Let you guys fight?"

Zoro made a face. "Fight? Why would we--oh… You guys don't have to leave if Sanji and I are going to fight."

"Uh, yeah we do." Ace moved aside and returned to the island so Zoro could dish up Luffy. "Your little sparring/_stress relief_ sessions always lead to nasty sex all over those nice mats I bought you guys."

"You didn't buy us those mats," Zoro scoffed, "your dad let us have them when the dojo bought new ones." The swordsman loaded his own plate and grabbed drinks from the fridge.

"Yeah," Ace said around a large bite, "because of me, you got nice mats."

Zoro chuckled and shook his head. "He would have given them to us anyway." He sat beside Luffy and ruffled his friend's hair as the younger Portgus inhaled Sanji's dinner. "But anyway, it doesn't _always_ lead to sex, I mean you only walked in on us, what… twice?"

Ace shook his head. "Four times."

"Four?" Zoro asked, his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Yeah, four. Not a sight I ever want to see again, but I'm sure I will."

Zoro snickered and started to eat. "Sorry, man."

"Fuck you, you're not sorry at all."

X x X x X

Ace put up no struggle whatsoever after dinner and crashed on Zoro and Sanji's bed. Zoro pulled sweats out of the drawer as Luffy stripped down to his boxers and climbed under the covers next to his brother.

"Hey, Zoro," Luffy said quietly as the swordsman started to leave.

Zoro turned and looked at the back of Luffy's head, a sliver of light from the open door shone over the tips of the younger man's hair and one skinny shoulder. "What's up?"

Luffy was silent for a moment before he whispered in a voice that just barely trembled.

"Let me kill someone…"

Zoro stood still for a moment, the only sounds were Ace's steady breathing and the unremitting beating of his own heart. Luffy always asked Zoro first, like it was Zoro's decision to turn him loose.

"I'd like it to not come to that, Luffy…"

"And if it does?"

Zoro sighed and turned to leave. "Then… we'll all do whatever it takes…"

He closed the door behind him and strode down the hall. He put his sweats over the back of an island stool and moved to the sink. He dished up a plate of stir fry for Sanji and set it aside, before cleaning the pot and putting the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher. He warmed the cook's dinner in the microwave and wiped down the counters. Taking a beer from the fridge, and Sanji's plate and utensils, the swordsman moved through the baby dojo and spotted his lover where he had been sure he would find him.

The single pillar that Sanji sat against supported the overhead beams, but, it marked where there had once been an entire outer wall. When Zoro and Sanji had first moved in, the landlord had explained all the apartments used to have balconies on this side of the building. When ownership had changed, it had been decided to reconstruct the city-side and close in all the balconies. The after affects had been spectacular, giving the structure a more modern look and all the residents more space as well as the beautiful full-side windows.

Zoro smiled. This had been Sanji's favorite spot before the accident, and it seemed as if it would be again. He moved beside the cook and offered the plate of steaming veggies and sautéed meat. Sanji looked up at him and returned his smile, taking the plate and giving Zoro his wine glass to refill.

"Thank you," the blond said as he ate. "And I'm sorry I was a dick earlier."

Zoro chuckled. "It's fine."

Sanji ate and Zoro returned with a full glass and the half-empty wine bottle. The swordsman sat beside the cook, keeping silent company. The two were quickly falling back into a comfortable companionship that had Zoro's heart filling his chest with every beat. That he could be just as happy with Sanji silent as he was fighting him, or holding him, was something Zoro had not expected would happen so soon.

When Sanji finished, he took his plate to the kitchen and returned with Zoro's sweats on. "Thanks for the pants," he chuckled.

"You ass." Zoro grinned. He set his empty beer on the floor and reached up to pull the blond down to sit between his legs. Sanji leaned back with his back resting against Zoro's chest. The swordsman handed the cook the wine glass, put his arms around Sanji's shoulders, and the two of them sat quietly watching the sun sink below the mountains.

"So, Zoro," Sanji said suddenly, "What kind of guys do you like?"

Zoro was so caught off guard, he laughed.

"Excuse me?"

Sanji chuckled and slipped his fingers through Zoro's. "I mean, am I your type? What other guys do you think are hot?"

Zoro shook his head and lowered his lips to kiss Sanji's neck. "I have no idea, I've never thought about it."

"Bullshit." Sanji pinched his arm, pulling a girly 'ouch' from the larger man. "I know you've thought about it. What kind of guys do you like?"

Zoro couldn't help but smile. "This is a stupid question. Why do you ask?"

"I was sitting here thinking about it." Sanji tried to muffle a snicker with a sip of wine.

"What!?" Zoro laughed again. "_That's_ what you were sitting here thinking about with that dead serious expression?"

Sanji nodded, turning his face to look up at Zoro. "I wanted to think about something other than what's going on, and started to wonder if I'd find anyone else attractive besides you."

Zoro brushed Sanji's bangs from his eyes. It was a good idea, and Zoro knew it. They needed something to take their minds off what was going on if they wanted to get any sleep.

All right, he would play. "Did you think of anyone?"

Sanji nodded. "Hugh Laurie."

"Hugh Laurie?" Zoro scoffed. "House? Are you serious?"

"Yes." Sanji chuckled.

Zoro shifted their positions so they could look at each other easier. "Who else?"

Sanji thought for a moment before replying. "Jason Statham?"

"Pfft." Zoro waved his hand in dismissal. "He doesn't count. He's like Mark Wahlberg: Straight guys would do them."

"Yeah, but I'd let Jason Statham do me." Sanji smiled coyly.

Zoro's eyebrows rose, even as his body reacted to Sanji's words. "Oh, really?"

Sanji nodded.

"Huh…" Zoro looked away. This conversation was turning him on, something the cook had no doubt planned, but he wasn't going to let Sanji know that just yet. "Okay," he said, turning back to his lover, "Who else?"

Sanji shook his head. "Your turn."

Zoro sighed, but relented. He leaned his head back against the pillar and let his mind race back through the movies, television shows, and music videos he had seen recently.

"What's that guy's name that's in _CSI_? The tech guy?"

Sanji frowned. "Nick?"

"No." Zoro shook his head. "He's a tech. You know, the younger looking guy."

"Uh…" Sanji scratched at his stubbled chin. "Greg?"

"Yeah, that guy. I'd do him."

Sanji laughed and leaned forward to kiss Zoro on the corner of his jaw. He spoke softly against the swordsman's skin, his hand running up the larger man's chest.

"But that's not the challenge of this game…"

Zoro shivered. Sanji's breath cascaded down his neck and caused a pleasant stir in his loins. "Oh? What is the challenge?"

Sanji smiled and ran a finger over Zoro's lips. "Think of someone you'd like to do _you_."

Zoro chuckled, his erection pressing firmly into Sanji's thigh. There was no way the cook wouldn't notice, but who really cared anyway? It wasn't like he was trying to hide that kind of thing anymore.

"Um…" Distracted as Sanji played with the bottom of his shirt and tickled the skin of his stomach, Zoro racked his brain for someone he liked, but would also sound good to Sanji. "Maybe… that guy from that movie that has the pig-nose girl?"

Sanji snickered into Zoro's neck. "Pig-nose girl?"

Zoro growled through his smile. "Oh yeah, you wouldn't remember huh? It was just some girly movie we watched with Nami and Vivi this one time. The guy in it was kinda hot."

"Hot enough you'd let him do you?"

Zoro thought about it. "No, probably not."

Sanji shifted, turning his body and placing a leg on each side of Zoro's hips. He took one long last swallow of wine, draining the glass, and then set it carefully on the floor. He turned back to the swordsman and slid slowly down, rubbing himself against Zoro's hardness, causing the swordsman to groan softly and lift his chin for a kiss. Their lips met as Sanji's hands cupped the other man's jaw. Zoro tasted the wine and cigarettes and slipped his tongue passed slightly chapped lips in search of more. The cook however ended the kiss before it could get too intense. He pulled back and played with the golden hoops hanging from Zoro's ear.

"Who else?"

Zoro chuckled, his hands going to Sanji's ass. He squeezed the firm muscle there and slid his hands down the cook's thighs.

"It's your turn," he murmured.

"I didn't know the last one!" Sanji whined. "That's not fair!"

Zoro gripped Sanji's hips and ground up against the cook. Sanji let out a little breath and fell forward, his lips coming so close to Zoro's, the swordsman was able to nip at them.

"Ah…" Sanji's breath was heavy, "Okay, okay my turn, um… Gerald Butler… But he'd have to wear his Roman Spartan outfit."

Zoro laughed and tilted his head. He kissed and bit softly at the cook's neck as Sanji's hands slid into his hair. He felt dizzy as his lover moved over him slowly. Their erections slid against each other under denim and soft cotton. Sanji's powerful thighs ground down hard on Zoro, and the swordsman melted. In this position, he was at the mercy of the cook. Sanji controlled the pace; he controlled the when and the how, and Zoro was perfectly content with it that way.

Zoro pushed his hands underneath Sanji's shirt, and the cook leaned back to pull it over his head. He quickly followed suit with Zoro's t-shirt and wasted no time before he was running his hands over the long scar decorating the swordsman's chest. Every grind of Sanji's hips was just short of painful, and the grip that Zoro had on the cook's hips could crush if he wanted. But this was the way they liked it. Their pace was still slow and calculated, but their movements were intense in their strength. Both men appreciated the power of the other; both thrived on the rush of adrenaline the other could give him.

Sanji reached down and unbuttoned the top of Zoro's jeans. Having done its job, the game was forgotten. There was nothing now but a need for release; a need for comfort and companionship that outweighed everything else in their lives at that moment. Zoro needed everything that Sanji could give him, just as he knew Sanji needed everything from him. He kissed the blond hard as the cook freed his throbbing length and stroked him with his strong and dexterous hands.

Zoro groaned and slipped his hands into Sanji's--or rather his own--sweatpants. He palmed the cook's sack and pulled Sanji's long, taut member free. The swordsman then slid his hands under Sanji's and took both erections in his large grip. His calloused fingers rubbed against soft skin as he stroked, eliciting a strained cry from his lover. Sanji's hands went to the pillar, his mouth moving to Zoro's ear to whisper commands of _faster_ and _tighter_. Zoro obeyed, bring them both to climax as Sanji shuddered over him. His own release caused his back to arch, and his head fall back against the pillar. Sanji's hands and mouth were everywhere as Zoro pulsed and splashed across tanned and pale chest alike.

Minutes passed as the two breathed heavily against each other. Sanji continued to lay kisses on Zoro's neck and jaw. His hands stayed planted over Zoro's scar, his thumbs rubbing small circles into the knotted flesh. Zoro breathed deeply, his eyes closed, trying to slow his heart rate and bring himself back to a coherent state of mind. Sanji always left him spinning; dizzy and floating in a world of pleasure and satisfaction.

"Mmm…" Sanji murmured. "I think I can relax and sleep now."

Zoro nodded. "Yeah… the couch sounds real good right now."

Sanji sat up and grabbed his shirt from the floor. He wiped at his chest and made a couple passes over Zoro's as well. "Is Ace okay? He looked kind of worn out when he came in, but I didn't really register it until I came over here."

Zoro nodded. "He just needed to sleep. He was out before his head it the pillow."

Sanji nodded. "Good, last thing we need tomorrow is big bro passing out on us."

Zoro grunted in agreement and buttoned his pants as Sanji stood. The cook gave him a hand to his feet, and the two of them moved into the living room.

"I need another shirt," Sanji said, heading to the bedroom. "I'll grab you some pants too."

A few minutes later, Zoro and Sanji lay together on the couch underneath a quilt Zoro had retrieved from the closet. Zoro had offered to sleep on the smaller of the couches, but Sanji insisted they squeeze together on the larger. The cushions accommodated, being large enough to fit them both comfortably if they lay on their sides, and Zoro was tickled to be pressed up against Sanji's back as the smaller man fell asleep.

As he felt himself drifting off, Zoro heard Sanji's voice in the darkness.

"Hey…" the cook whispered.

"Mm?"

"You ever think of someone?"

Zoro chuckled into Sanji's hair and pulled his lover tighter against him.

"Yeah, the doctor in _Master and Commander_."

"Paul Bettany?" Sanji snickered tiredly. "Really? Why?"

Zoro shrugged and burrowed deeper into Sanji's hair. "Because he's tall and skinny, pretty kick ass, and blond."

Sanji laughed into the couch pillow and laced his fingers through Zoro's. "That's all it takes for you?"

"Mm, yeah…" Zoro murmured, sleep creeping up on him fast. "The accent helps too."

Zoro smiled as Sanji laughed again and pulled the covers higher. The last thing he heard before he nodded off was the soothing lull of Sanji's whispering voice.

"Goodnight, Zoro."

X x X x X

Sanji woke to the sound of Ace's phone. When an incoming call was unknown, the default ring would play an electronic version of a Jimmy Hendrix song. His friend had used the same ring since high school, and the cook smiled sleepily at the nostalgia of waking to that tone. Rolling out from Zoro's arms and from under the warm blanket, Sanji stood, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

It took a few seconds, but then it all came together in his muddled, sleepy, head. _Ace's phone… Default ringtone… _

_The guys from California!!_

"Shit!" Sanji vaulted over the back of the couch, and ran into the kitchen. Ace's jacket lay draped over the back of a dining room chair, and inside the front pocket, Sanji found the small flip-phone.

"Hello?" he answered, his heart pounding in his ears.

"_Hey_," a rich tenor purred through the receiver, "_this Ace Portgus_?"

"Uh, no." Sanji moved quickly back into the living room and shook Zoro awake. "He's… indisposed. Who is this?"

"_Who is this?_" the voice retorted, playfully.

Zoro sat up and ran a hand over his face as he watched Sanji converse in, what was to the swordsman, a one-sided conversation.

Sanji could feel his annoyance mounting, but he put a hand on his hip and let his voice out smooth. "Hey look, man. The least you could do when you call someone's phone is indentify yourself. It's a fucking courtesy."

It probably hadn't been the smartest of moves, but instead of an angry retort, or the click of being hung up on, Sanji heard laughter. The silky tenor chuckled and spoke away from the receiver.

"_I think I might be talking to Sanji._"

Sanji reached into his pockets, knowing his pack would not be there, but going through the motions anyway. He turned and headed to the bathroom where he had left his pants last night when he had changed into Zoro's. The swordsman got up off the couch and started following him around the apartment.

"When did you guys get in?" the cook asked as he lit up and pulled a drag into his lungs.

"_About an hour and a half ago_." Law answered. "_We took a shuttle from the airport. Decided to look around on our own a bit before we called._"

"Huh." Sanji pulled himself up to sit on the kitchen island. "Find anything useful?"

Sanji listened to Law's throaty laugh as Zoro moved up to stand between his legs. The swordsman's hands rested gently on his thighs as the larger man leaned in to listen to the conversation.

"_Well, we did stumble across a few things,_" Law said casually. "_One being the car with two of Blackbeard's goons parked outside your guy's apartment._"

Sanji froze. It took only a moment for the adrenaline to kick in hardcore, and his heart was racing like he had just run a marathon.

"You… you're here?"

Zoro's eyes widened and his grip became hard. Sanji winced and reminded the swordsman of his strength with a quick squeeze on his arm. Zoro released the cook and asked for answers with his intense, dark eyes.

"_Yup. If you're on this side of the building, you could probably see us if you looked out those big windows_."

Sanji pushed off the island and jogged through the baby dojo to the area windows. Zoro followed him and almost ran into his back when the cook slowed as he came near the glass. The two stood overlooking the street below, searching for anyone that could possibly be the two Mafioso from California.

After a quick search, Sanji shook his head. "I don't see you. But then again, I'm not sure what I'm looking for."

Law chuckled. "_What's your number? We'll come up. It'll be easier to talk in person anyway."_ There were shuffling sounds for a moment as Law repositioned the phone. The man spoke away from the receiver, muffling his voice, but not enough so that Sanji could not make out what he said. "_Kidd, cut it out, man. He's like twelve. You're gonna scare the piss out of him_."

Sanji frowned. "I'm not sure how I feel about letting potentially hazardous persons into my apartment."

"Ha," Law said smugly. "Don't you live with a potentially hazardous person?"

Sanji thought for only a moment before he answered. "You're right. Come on up. We're in 525."

As the cook hung up the phone, he turned around to face Zoro. The swordsman stood frowning at Sanji, his strong arms folded over his chest, and his imposing form blocking the cook's escape.

"What?" Sanji asked.

Zoro grunted and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too…" Sanji moved around Zoro, his fingers brushing against the swordsman's as he passed. He barged into the bedroom, waking the two sleeping lumps on his bed. The Portgus brothers woke with identical yawns and similar outbursts when Sanji brought them up to speed.

"…So get your clothes back on and go use some of my mouthwash. You got about two minutes."

They scrambled into clothes and fought over the bathroom as fast as they could. Luffy cried, pounding halfheartedly on the door that he was going to piss in the kitchen sink if Zoro didn't get out so he could use the toilet. Ace slapped him upside the head before Sanji could get to whaling on him. They made good time, and Ace and Luffy managed to look slightly less eccentric wearing jeans and t-shirts belonging to Zoro and Sanji. When the knock on the door sounded, the four men had placed themselves around the living room in various prime attack positions. Sanji lit up, and motioned for Ace to open the door.

X x X x X

Zoro leaned against the bookshelf, his sword case propped against the couch, close at hand. His heart beat fast and his nerves buzzed with pleasant adrenaline as Ace turned down the hall and into the small foyer. The swordsman heard the door open and Ace greet their guests in his friendly and polite tone. When his friend returned with the two in tow, Zoro straightened, not sure what he should expect, but then again, not sure if he should be expecting _anything_.

The first of the two seemed normal at first glance. He was average height, with tanned skin and dark facial hair. Earrings flashed in each ear, and he wore a beanie low on his head and a loud yellow shirt beneath his black leather jacket. He regarded Zoro for a moment with a shadowed gaze and smiled almost sardonically at the swordsman before his attention turned to Sanji. The large case strapped to his back caught Zoro's attention, but he was quickly distracted by the man's companion.

The second of their guests caused Zoro's guard to go up almost instantly. His flamboyant red hair stood on end, and the only thing keeping the mess from his eyes were his large aviator sunglasses. His clothes offended Zoro on some fundamental level. The colors were too flashy, and the over-the-top fur collar on his jacket seemed to mock the swordsman. This man sneered openly at Zoro and pulled a large hand from his pocket to play with the toothpick between his lips.

_Fucking fingernail polish_… Why nail polish on a dude bothered Zoro so much made no sense whatsoever, but all the same, those dark green tips made the swordsman shudder quietly.

The air practically sang with the power of these two. It danced over Zoro's skin and hummed in his ears. They were formidable, worthy opponents, and even better that they were on their side. Despite their strange appearances and even stranger attitudes, Zoro was already getting accustomed to their presence and glad that they had been sent to help them.

Ace turned to their new additions, motioning to the more subdued of the two. "This is Law. His friend is Kidd." The firefighter turned again to introduce his friends. "That's Sanji and Zoro, and over there is my kid brother, Luffy."

Law and Kidd's attention turned immediately to the youngest of them, perched on the arm of the reclining chair. A heavy moment passed before Kidd moved and offered a hand.

"Luffy Portgus…" he said simply, his voice surprisingly soft and clear.

Luffy gripped the hand and stared up at the older man in awe. "Your hair is _awesome_…"

Law let out a throaty laugh and clapped Ace on the back. "Ah, Luffy, exactly how Dalton described." He turned to Sanji. "Can I get something to drink? I'm about ready to swallow my tongue. I haven't had anything since we left LA."

Whatever Sanji's first impression had been of the two strange men, his face changed and he brightened at the mention of sustenance.

The cook stood. "I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. Are you guys hungry? We haven't had breakfast yet either."

Law's eyes flashed and his grin widened. "Ah, Sanji Black… cooking for us?"

Kidd didn't spare a moment to think. "I'm hungry."

Sanji's lips curved into a smile, and he took a drag from his smoke before crushing the cherry between his fingers.

"I got you. Come sit at the island, Ace will fill you in on everything."

As he turned motioning Law to follow, Luffy bounced to his feet and started to pull Kidd into the kitchen.

"Woohoo! Sanji food! All right! Come on, Kidd! Prepare to get your socks knocked off!"

X x X x X

Kidd actually proved to be quite talkative once Luffy got him going, but most conversation ceased when Sanji's food started hitting the island top. Eggs with avocado and mushrooms, sausage, crepes with berries and honey drizzle, seasoned hash browns, fresh fruit, all were inhaled. Zoro had been sure he was never going to see eaters like the Portgus brothers, but Kidd and Law gave them a run for their money. He wasn't even sure Kidd took a breath between each bite, and Law downed coffee faster and in larger quantities than Chopper.

"Jesus…" Law said when he finally put down his fork. "I don't think I ever want to go home again."

"We'll just take him with us when we go back." Kidd snickered with a mouthful of melon and sausage.

"Ha," Zoro grunted. "You can try."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Law wiped his mouth delicately with a napkin and folded his hands together under his chin. "You guys are a couple, aren't you?"

Sanji leaned against the sink and took a drag from his freshly lit cigarette.

"Yes, we are. If you have a problem with it, you can have a nice long conversation with my foot."

Law and Kidd exchanged a look and a quick smile before returning to their breakfast.

"Nope, no problem." Law chuckled into his coffee mug.

"So your friends, Usopp and… what was his name--Chopper?" Kidd scraped the last of his hash browns into his mouth and set down his fork. "They've been missing how long?"

"We're not exactly sure," Zoro answered. "We saw Chopper…"

"The day before yesterday," Sanji injected, "when we took him home from Chaka and Pell's."

"What about Usopp?" Law asked.

Zoro shrugged, a heavy feeling started to grow in the pit of his stomach. He set down his fork, no longer hungry. He glanced at Luffy who had also stopped stuffing his face. Ace as well had stopped eating and was staring sadly at the island top.

"I have no idea," Zoro said softly.

"Don't look so down," Kidd said as he swallowed the rest of his coffee. "You're friends are being held to lure you guys in. There's no point right now in killing them. They probably just threw them in some easily sealed room and forgot about them for now."

Sanji chewed the inside of his lip. "How can you know that for sure?"

Kidd grinned cruelly up at the blond. "It's what I'd do."

Sanji turned to Zoro and the two of them shared a long moment of silent contemplation before Law continued.

"If you guys are what everyone says you are, it should be all right. You'll be able to get them back."

Ace crossed his arms and leaned his elbows on the island top. "What exactly are we going to have to do?"

Law leaned back, folding his hands behind his head. "You're gonna have to challenge Blackbeard. Challenge him and his guys--this faction that's gone of the reservation and decided to do their own thing. They're holding your friends as a warning, kind of like their own personal safety net. If you step up and call them out on it, it does two things for you. One: it guarantees they won't hurt your friends until you've settled your score. That would be beyond stupid for Blackbeard. If he wants any clout in the scene and to be taken seriously as a rising Boss, there's certain protocols he can't ignore."

"The second," Kidd added, "is that they have to accept the challenge or look retarded. This means you can kick some ass without any boundaries. You could even kill this guy, and you'd never have to answer for it."

"What about the police?" Ace asked, horrified.

Law shook his head. "They'll never get wind of it. We take care of our problems on our own."

"So how do we do about issuing a challenge?" Sanji asked, moving to sit on an empty stool.

Kidd laced his fingers together, pushing his arms out in front of him and cracking his knuckles. "Your Skipper calls up your adversary's Skipper and they set it up. If it crosses over sections, then your Skipper informs the Boss and then the Boss calls a 'meet and greet'. This, of course, is if you're made."

"What if you're not made?" Zoro asked.

"Then you're fucked." Kidd stated.

Sanji groaned and laid his head on his arms. Zoro sighed heavily and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"It's not going to be a problem though," Law said, his unnerving half smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Oh yeah?" Ace asked. "How's that?"

Kidd chuckled and glanced at Law as if waiting for the punch line. The two looked positively maniacal as they both sat grinning at each other, their teeth stark white and gleaming like sharks on the prowl.

The tense silence was too much for Luffy, and he bounced on the stool. "Hey guys. What are you thinking? How is it not going to be a problem?"

Law cleared his throat and glanced between Sanji and Zoro, his eyes sparkling with mirth and mischief.

"I'm on strict orders from my Boss," he said cheerfully. "Enel sent me to Seattle to turn you guys into official made men."

**TBC **


	26. Chapter 26

I think I might be taking some risks with this next chapter, but I don't care. I like it so... Thank you for all the recent reviews! xD I'm glad people are liking the ridiculous amount of plot that's invaded my love story! Lol. Enjoy!

**Chapter 26**

"_I'm on strict orders from my Boss," Law said cheerfully. "Enel sent me to Seattle to turn you guys into official made men."_

Sanji's eyes closed as confusion rendered him stupid. What Law was suggesting was so unreal, so extremely outrageous, that the thought of it made the cook dizzy.

"What?" Sanji reached behind him and crushed the butt of his cigarette in the sink. "Made like, _Made_ made? There's no way that could possibly… We don't want…" The blond scratched at his head, protests piling up so thickly in the back of his throat that nothing could get out.

"We can't be mafia," Zoro said quietly. "We have lives and careers and close friends with high profile lifestyles. Besides, we're not into being criminals and supporting people that do shit like blackmailing and killing people."

"Oh!" Luffy bounced in his seat, raising his hand over his head like a boy in grade school. "I could! I'll do it!"

"And Kaku!" Sanji exclaimed, ignoring the younger Portgus. "He said he's wanted to make us forever, and he's our friend! We can't say no to him and then turn around and get made by someone we've known for an hour!"

"I don't care!" Luffy stood, his hand still flailing in the air. "I'll do it!"

Law laughed heartily and pulled a pack of Camels from the back pocket of his torn jeans. He put a stick between his lips and held out his hand to Sanji.

The cook got caught up in examining the letters "D.E.A.T.H." written across the other man's knuckles, and it took him a few moments before he realized what the man was waiting for. "Sorry," he murmured, and handed over his lighter. Law lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, immediately handing the stick over to Kidd, who took a long drag himself.

"We haven't come up here to _actually_ make you." Law explained. "Besides being impossible, that would be the biggest waste of time ever."

"Not to mention suicidal." Kidd added.

Law nodded and took the cigarette from Kidd's fingers. "The 'mafia' that you guys know from news and movies and all that, really isn't around anymore. The old-timers are all gone, and now ninety percent of organized crime is online—cyber crimes basically. Hacking into multi-billion dollar corporations and embezzling through large companies is much more cost effective than the old school way of drug trafficking. We still do that, obviously, but you can see the benefits."

Sanji and Zoro both nodded.

"Think of it as 'Mafia upgraded'," Law continued. "The rules have changed, the players have changed, the methods- everything except the structure and the rankings… and I guess the slang." He glanced at Kidd and his partner shrugged, nodding his head. "A newly made man has about as much power in a family as a wet towel. Even if I and Kidd here, and Enel, and God himself were to vouch for you, you'd still have nothing. What I meant by 'making you guys' was, Kidd and I are going to bring you up to speed and give you a quick crash course so that you guys—or at least one of you—can come off as someone higher up. Like a Boss."

"Woah!" Luffy practically jumped on the island top. "I wanna be a Boss!"

Ignoring Luffy, Sanji blinked at Law. "Uh… I… huh?"

Zoro shook his head. "I'm not following either."

Kidd chuckled, and Sanji's skin crawled at how close that chuckle was to a giggle.

"You guys need clout? We can get you clout."

Sanji moved forward and placed his hands on the island to steady himself.

"So, okay, you guys are saying that you're going to make it look like Zoro and I are Bosses or underbosses or something?" The cook closed his eyes and shook his head vigorously. "How the fuck is that going to work! Everyone that's connected here knows we're not made! This will never ever fly!"

"Do they really know, Sanji?" Law asked, his smile returning to that odd mixture of friendly and cruel. "I mean, yeah they know you guys, but how much do they really know? How long have you been friends? A year? Year and a half? You both could have moved up here to scope out territory or maybe you knew about this whole Blackbeard uprise before they did, and you've been moving under the radar and right under their noses for months and months."

"But Bosses don't do that shit!" Sanji exclaimed.

"Oh, we don't?" Law cocked an eyebrow at him, and Sanji closed his mouth. The look the dark man gave him made him step back and bite his tongue.

"Okay, okay," he said softly, "you got me there."

"So," Ace said carefully, "you guys are going to 'make' Sanji and Zoro, so they can… what, call a meet and greet for themselves? Challenge Blackbeard? What?"

Law turned to the older Portgus and sucked on the cigarette. "More like they can team up with the underbosses here and build a better front. It'll throw them off so hard finding out that Sanji and Zoro are actually credited they won't even know what to do at first."

"Why can't Kaku call the challenge for us?" Zoro asked thoughtfully. "Or even Lucci? They both have a lot of power, why can't they call out Blackbeard?"

Kidd shrugged. "They could, but since you guys aren't part of a family, you wouldn't be able to fight. Your friends know that, and know it would kill you to not be part of the action, so that's why they haven't done it already."

"Also," Law added, "with you two not being made, you have no protection- from legal matters I mean. Something goes wrong, someone dies, and you two will find yourselves on the wrong side of a prison wall. Us 'wise guys' love putting the blame on people that can't defend themselves."

Sanji nodded slowly, everything coming into place in his head. He slipped his hands in his pockets and thought about how he could repay Kaku when this was all over.

"It makes a twisted kind of sense…" the cook murmured.

Sanji turned to Ace, who was frowning at the floor deep in thought. The older of the brothers scratched at his chin, and leaned an elbow on the table.

"Okay, so what are we going to have to do? Not that I can do anything. I can't involve myself because of my job, but I'll help in any way I can."

Law turned to Ace and nodded. "And I'm going to need that help. We have a lot of work to do if we're going to save your friends." The dark-skinned man turned back to Kidd. "Can you call Enel for me? We gotta set this thing up quick."

Kidd stood immediately and pulled his phone from his pocket. "How soon do you want him to call Silver?"

Law sighed, pulling another cigarette from his pack. "Tell him to give us a day at least."

As Kidd stepped out of the kitchen to make the call, Sanji started to clear plates from the island. He met Zoro's eyes and held them for a moment. "We're gonna be okay…" he whispered softly. Zoro nodded back and reached out his hand to brush his fingers over the cook's.

"Who's Silver?" Ace asked, pulling Sanji from his moment with Zoro.

Law took a drag and tapped his ashes onto his empty plate. "The Boss here. He's the same rank as Enel, and will have the say on when, where, who… basically he's the Big Shot that's going to arrange the meet."

"Ah…" Ace stood slowly and stretched his arms over his head. "Okay, now that I know how much trouble we're getting ourselves into, I can call the wife and tell her I'll be out for a while."

"Maybe she should invite some people over," Sanji suggested. "None of us should be alone right now."

"Yeah," Ace agreed. "She should get Nami and Robin over there. No one'll mess with them if Nami has anything to say about it."

Ace left the room as well, leaving the four men sitting around the island, the smoke from Law and Sanji's cigarettes circling the air above their heads. Zoro sighed softly and started stacking the rest of the dirty plates.

"So where do we start?" the swordsman asked softly.

Law smiled and blew out a long stream of smoke. "Well," he said teasingly, turning to Luffy, "you really want to be a Boss, kiddo?"

X x X x X

Kaku climbed the stairs to his office, wondering what could be so important that Lucci was sending him an 'URGENT' text in the middle of the day. His business partner never texted him, and never, _ever_ thought anything was urgent enough to be _'URGENT'_. If this had something to do with the guys from Portland, they were just going to have to get it through their thick sculls that they were never going to see those crates of Xbox 360's ever again. It was their own damn fault for thinking they could play cards.

Lucci was on the office phone when Kakau entered. The dark-haired man acknowledged him with a slight nod of his head and continued the conversation as Kaku sat in the nearby chair.

"No, I understand, Sir." Lucci's voice was strained, as close to distress as Kaku had ever heard it, and the long-nosed man sat anxiously waiting to hear what had rattled his friend so.

"Yes, I'll set it up right away. Leave everything to me. I'll even call them myself… Yes, thank you, Sir. Goodbye."

Lucci hung up the phone and turned to his partner. Kaku raised his eyebrows and crossed one leg over the other.

"So… what's up?"

"That was the boss." Lucci frowned and shook his head slowly. "You're not going to believe this…"

X x X x X

Law closed the door to Zoro and Sanji's behind him and walked the hallway with Kidd. He yawned and stretched the muscles in his arms and shoulders. The day had been long but productive, and he was confident in the skills of Dalton's friends. They were good people, especially Ace. He could see traits left by the old man Smoker on both the Portgus boys. Zoro was, well, he was scary. He was definitely the man that had taken down Enel. It was no wonder the Boss talked about the green-haired swordsman like he was a Titan. And then there was Sanji. Sanji was powerful too, just not scary like Zoro. He was also really smart, an amazing cook, and really, _really_ hot. That blond's feisty temper and passionate spirit reminded him of someone else he knew: A fiery redhead with a potentially blazing temper and a strange sense of fashion.

When the two men entered the elevator, that same redhead leaned against the opposite wall and crossed his arms over his chest. Kidd's eyes stayed downward and away from Law, and his jaw clenched tight behind a rough scowl.

Law sighed and slipped his hands in his pockets.

"You still not talking to me?"

Kidd nodded.

Law waited for the doors to close, and the elevator to begin its decent before he tried again. "You did a good job of pretending in there. A whole day of working with me and you didn't throw a single tantrum."

"Shut up," Kidd growled, still not looking at him. "It was business. I'm good at business. That's all you want from me, so I'm doing it."

Law leaned his head against the wall and looked up at the elevator lights. "That's not all I want from you."

"Oh yeah, you're right." Kidd pushed off the wall and pressed savagely at the nearest floor button. "You occasionally want me to be your fuck hole too. Just get a fucking call-boy, Law. I'm sick of your shit."

Law let out a breath and stepped forward to push Kidd's hands from the buttons. "I don't want you to be a 'fuck hole', Kidd. And what the hell are you doing?"

Kidd stepped back and crossed his arms back over his chest. "I'll take the stairs. Just… get out of my face."

The elevator opened, but Law held the 'close' button until the large doors slid shut against his back. Kidd rolled his eyes, moving to the back of the small space and leaning against the railing. Law pressed the yellow 'hold elevator' button, and crossed the lift. He stood directly in front of the other man and put his hands back in his pockets.

"I said I don't think of you as a 'fuck hole'."

Kidd finally looked at him, rage burning in his eyes. He spoke quietly, his voice a soft scrape of leaves against pavement. "Oh, so what, you _love me_ now? Is that the game you're playing?" He shook his head. "Why don't you talk to Drake, or even Bepo. I know Bepo'd suck your cock for just a smile from you. You could treat him like trash in the daytime and he wouldn't give a shit."

"I don't treat you like trash," Law snarled, his voice lowering as his anger built.

"You lied to me…" Kidd's voice was horse underneath the whisper. "You lie and you fuck around with every little bitch that shakes his ass your way. I saw the way you watched Sanji the whole time we were in that apartment."

Law's hands went to the wall on either side of Kidd's shoulders. "That's not true. I _look_ around, but I don't _fuck_ around. You're the only one I-"

"Shut up!" Finally, Kidd lost it enough to shout. "I said I don't wanna hear any more of your bullshit! No matter how much I want it to be true you're never going to-"

Law cut off his words as he covered Kidd's lips with his own. Kidd struggled, but only for a moment, before opening himself and letting Law slide his tongue passed his teeth. Law pressed the slightly larger man against the wall, pushing his hips against Kidd's and grinding upward slowly. The redhead's hands gripped the front of Law's t-shirt and made a feeble attempt to push the slighter man away.

"Stop…" he rasped against Law's mouth. "Stop… don't do this to me…"

"How many times do I have to tell you," Law growled, "I don't want anyone el-"

Law's chest exploded with pain as Kidd's hands shoved him back. He hit the wall hard and his back screamed with the force of the impact on his sword case. When he opened his eyes, he saw Kidd wiping at his mouth as if Law's lips had been poison.

"You never cease to amaze me with how much of an asshole you are." Kidd crossed the lift and pushed the 'hold elevator' button and spit as he waited for the doors to slide open. "Let's just do our job so we can go home and I can get the hell away from you."

Law rubbed at the back of his neck as he watched Kidd step out and the doors close. He sighed and leaned against the elevator wall. He knew why Kidd was so angry, but he also knew there was nothing he could do.

X x X x X

Sanji closed his phone and threw it on the bed as he crawled across the covers to his pillow. He flopped down on his stomach and buried his face in the soft down. He felt Zoro shift beside him and run a strong hand over his back.

"Nami nearly shit a brick," Sanji mumbled, "but I talked her down. Ace's gonna work on Vivi. Nami said she'll get everyone to the club tonight. I told her it's dangerous, but… you know Nami."

"I do," Zoro replied before he chuckled. "She's probably going to rip Luffy a new one."

"Mmh hmm."

"Ace and Luffy go home?" the swordsman asked quietly.

"Mmm hmm," Sanji repeated, sliding his hands underneath the pillow. "I'm so tired… but I'm hungry."

"Me too."

"We should eat since we have to get up in a few hours."

"Probably."

Sanji sighed heavily, but made no move to get up. He heard the turn of a page and smiled against soft cotton that smelled like Ace's shampoo. He opened his eyes and watched Zoro as the other man rested against the headboard.

"What are you reading?"

Zoro turned to him and smiled as well when their eyes met. "_Yotsuya Kaidan_," the swordsman replied, "it's a ghost story."

"What's it about?"

Zoro turned back to the book and folded the page he was on before placing it on the bedside table. "So far, a lot of lust and murder." He turned back to face Sanji and rested on his elbow. He pushed his fingers gently through the cook's hair and leaned in to kiss his lover's forehead.

At the touch of those fingers, something stirred at the back of Sanji's mind; a faint image of golden sunlight over waves and soft sand. The smell of the sea tickled the back of the cook's memory, but the images that flashed in Sanji's head were not familiar to him.

A sharp throbbing started behind Sanji's eyes, and he buried his face again in the pillow. This was not good. The doctors had said this might happen. Having one's memory erased was a complex phenomenon, and the brain worked overtime at all times to overcome blocks. They had warned Sanji that out of nowhere, his head would start to hurt and he would experience dizziness and nausea as his memories tried to break through.

_Is that what's happening?_ Sanji thought to himself, _Am I starting to remember? What a shitty time for my brain to decide to fix itself!_

"You all right, Sanji?" Zoro asked, worry laced into his deep voice.

Sanji, not wishing to alarm his lover, lifted his head and smiled despite the pain. "I'm fine, just tired from all this shit that's going down.

Zoro, looking not at all convinced, nodded. "I hear you."

Gathering himself, Sanji pushed up to a seated position and rubbed at his eyes. "What do you feel like eating? I don't think we have much left in the fridge but..."

Zoro sat up as well, scratching at his chin. "Grilled cheese."

Sanji laughed. "Are you serious? You have me at your back and call, and you ask for a grilled cheese sandwich?"

Zoro nodded, grinning. "Yes, because you make mutant grilled cheese."

"_Mutant grilled cheese!_" Sanji exclaimed.

Zoro nodded. "You make me grilled cheese sandwiches, but they've got ham, and mustard, and a whole bunch of other stuff in it. And there's an egg on top."

"That's not a grilled cheese," Sanji's scoffed, "that's a _croque-madame_, you dork."

"It's a mutant grilled cheese," Zoro stated again, his smile widening.

Sanji shook his head and started to climb off the bed. "Okay, okay. _Mutant_ grilled cheese it is then. But we're out of eggs, so it's just going to be a regular _croque-monsieur_."  
"Yes!" Zoro cheered and flopped back down on the pillows.

Sanji's delight at Zoro's excitement was short lived. As he entered the kitchen, another wave of pain filled his skull, and he had to steady himself against the island. Another flash of sand and endless blue sky filled Sanji's head, but when he searched for context, he found himself up against a mental wall, and the pain worsened.

_Stop thinking about it,_ Sanji told himself, _If it's gonna come, it's gonna come. Don't force it._

He distracted himself with pulling ingredients from the fridge and cupboards. He buttered bread and retrieved a pan from the hanging rack. He opened the mustard, inhaling the strong scent of the seed, and felt himself relaxing. He closed his eyes and tried not to think of anything. He let his mind wander, let it go where it wanted.

Relaxing, letting his body energy flow freely like he had trained for so long, Sanji opened his eyes and continued to do what he did best. He assembled the sandwich, spreading the mustard, slicing the cheese, and arranging the meat like it was a fine piece of art. He thought of nothing as his hands worked. He only let his body feel the textures and smell the smells of the pieces of his simple creation.

By the time he placed the sandwiches in the pan, and the crisp sizzle of oil on the bread filled the kitchen, Sanji's head was clear, and he could see the beach clearly.

_The beach… Zoro's smiling face… small crabs and colorful stones… Zoro's skin, wet and glistening from his dive in the salty water… the clouds rolling across the sky above as they lay together on the sand…_

_Making love… making love to Zoro as the fire burnt brightly… the swordsman's body rolling and flexing beneath him… Zoro's hands in his hair… his fingers gliding so gently through his hair…_

Sanji turned the stove off, and pulled the sandwiches from the burner to a plate. The kitchen smelled of mustard and seasoned meat and the cook stood still over the counter as memories flooded into him.

_A dog chasing them… a wet tongue and an embarrassed couple pulling the retriever from Sanji's lap… a large ship on the horizon and thoughts of being at sea with his father…_

_The sunset… Zoro, sitting beside him and nervous… kissing Zoro… kissing Zoro so desperately…_

"Sanji?" Zoro stepped into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water and moved to stand beside the cook by the stove. "You okay? You look kind of out of it."

Sanji turned to Zoro, his heart racing. "Um," he stammered. "Sorry, I was thinking about stuff. Here's your mutant sandwich."

Zoro took the _croque-monsieur_ happily and consumed a third of it before he sat down at the island. Sanji joined him and managed to get half of the meal down before the nausea became too strong. He knew there was more going on right now than his flashbacks, and they needed to eat in order to have the energy to help their friends.

He waited until Zoro finished, and stood to retrieve another bottle of water. He took a swallow and handed the bottle to the swordsman. Zoro watched him curiously as he lifted the rim to his lips, and Sanji took a breath before speaking quietly.

"I remember a beach."

Zoro froze; the bottle halfway to the island. He stared at Sanji as if worried any movement would erase the words that had just filled the space. He swallowed slowly, his eyes unblinking, and his breath still.

"What kind of beach?" the swordsman choked out.

"Um..." Sanji laced his fingers together in his lap. "Sandy, not like the beaches here. And it's big and kind of secluded."

"Ocean Shores." Zoro lowered the bottle to the island and stared at Sanji. "You remember Ocean Shores."

Sanji nodded, his heart thumping painfully against his ribs.

Zoro cleared his throat. "Just the beach? Or…"

"There was a dog," Sanji replied. "He was licking my face."

Finally, something lit up in Zoro's eyes and he smiled. He moved closer to Sanji and took one of the cook's hands. "What else?"

Sanji recounted the things he had seen like the crabs and the clouds overhead. He left out the more explicit bits, somewhat embarrassed at remembering such intimate things, but having no context for them.

"We went there for vacation," Zoro said. "We stayed in one of the cabins for a couple nights. It had a little kitchen and a patio… We weren't living together yet, so it was our first try at… sharing space."

"It was like a test run?" Sanji chuckled.

"Uh…" Zoro frowned and looked down into his lap. "Not exactly…"

Sanji scooted forward and spoke quietly as if they could be overheard. "Is something wrong with Ocean Shores, Zoro? What's the matter? You're way less excited about this than I thought you'd be."

Zoro shook his head and took a breath. He wiped at his face and looked back up into Sanji's eyes.

"It's not that it was bad," Zoro started, taking both of Sanji's hands, "it turned out to be one of the best weekends of my life…"

Sanji tilted his head. "But?"

Zoro let out a breath. "It didn't start out as a good thing."

Sanji's eyebrows rose. "Really? Why?"

Zoro looked away again and sighed softly. "We got… well, you can imagine the two of us got a lot of shit the first couple months after we came out."

Sanji closed his eyes and nodded. "I've tried really hard not to think about that."

Zoro leaned forward and nuzzled Sanji's neck. "It was really hard at first. We had people calling us, not believing or just calling to hear it from us first hand. You had x-girlfriends calling and emailing you, leaving these really fucked up messages all the time… I kept thinking that it was going to be too much for you, and you were going to back out. I even questioned if it was worth it a couple times, knowing how unhappy it was making you."

Sanji sighed heavily and squeezed Zoro's hand."I-"

"No, wait." Zoro held up a hand. "Let me finish. We decided to go on this trip, get away from everyone and just… be us without judgment, and without any of the shit that was happening around us at home."

Zoro took another long breath and closed his eyes. "I truly thought that you weren't going to stay with me. I thought that the pressure of having everyone on our backs—well, not everyone. Ace and Luffy and Nami and all them were just fine… But I thought with the pressure from people around us, you weren't going to stay with me… and I voiced that on the way… on the ride to Ocean Shores."

Sanji lifted a hand to run his fingers down Zoro's cheek. Zoro leaned into the caress and continued softly.

"You were so mad. I couldn't believe how mad you were. You pulled over and got out of the car. I followed you out into this field in the middle of the night and you screamed at me. You kicked me and knocked me over a fence, and all I could do was lay there like a retard."

Sanji sat, shocked at this unfolding of events. "I was… why? Was I mad at you for… Oh God, was I _blaming_ you?"

"No." Zoro looked up at him, the hurt in his eyes was so thick it made Sanji's heart break. "No, it wasn't like that at all. You were mad at me because I lost faith in you. You told me that love wasn't worth it if it wasn't hard. You screamed at me for not believing in you, and trusting you that what we had was more important than what people said about us."

Sanji sat speechless, watching the pain around Zoro's eyes.

"I couldn't move for the longest time because of what you said. I had let you down in the worst way and I had no idea what to do."

Sanji slid his hands around the back of Zoro's neck and kissed the other man's forehead. He felt Zoro's heartache and wished he could share in this important memory.

"So, what happened?" Sanji whispered. "Obviously something happened because we're together now, right?"

Zoro nodded and moved his hands to Sanji's hips. "I remembered that you said 'love isn't worth it if it's not hard'."

Sanji nodded, his lips ghosting over Zoro's eyelids. "Yeah?"

Zoro smiled softly. "You'd never told me that you loved me before…"

Sanji pulled back surprised. "O… oh?"

Zoro nodded. "I hadn't either. I got up and ran my ass back to the car and asked you."

"Asked me?"

"If you really loved me."

Sanji smiled. "What did I say?"

Zoro smiled back. "You told me to take you to the cabin and you'd show me."

"Did I?" Sanji chuckled.

Zoro nodded. "Yes, you did. It was the first time…" The swordsman's hands slid down and back up Sanji's thighs, his thumbs caressing particularly close to Sanji's awakening arousal.

"First time?"Sanji asked breathlessly.

Zoro moved still closer and brushed his lips across Sanji's. "The first time you took me…"

Sanji frowned. "Took…" His eyes widened as realization hit him. "Oh… Oh, I get it."

Zoro smiled. "I didn't think sex with you could get any better…" He kissed the cook once, softly. "I was wrong."

Sanji chuckled and kissed the swordsman back. "Was it by a fire?"

Zoro's eyes widened once again, but his surprise only lasted a moment. "Yeah, it was. The cabin was cold, so we slept in the living room. You remember that?"

Sanji shook his head. "Just flashes."

Nodding slowly, Zoro ran his fingers through Sanji's hair. His eyes became serious as he continued. "I lost faith in you again when I thought you weren't going to remember me… I'm sorry…"

Sanji shook his head and took Zoro's cheeks in his palms. He brought the swordsman's eyes to his again and took a breath.

"Zoro," he asked seriously, "do you love me?"

Zoro blinked, but then a smile broke out across his face once again. His eyes lit up and he leaned into Sanji's hold.

"Take me to bed and I'll show you."

**TBC**


	27. Chapter 27

Yup. It's really finished. Chapter 27. You read it right. Yay for having a few extra days off from work. xD

So, we're getting down to the last few chapters. It's exciting. I'm sad to see this story wrapping up, but so glad to have the stress close to being gone. (Of course, knowing me, I'm just going to undertake something else that stresses me out the instant I'm done with this, lol.) Hope you enjoy this chappy, thank you so much for reading, and have a great weekend! xD

**Chapter 27**

Zoro's arms shook under his weight as he slowly kissed down Sanji's spine. With a heavy sigh, he rolled to the side and collapsed onto his back on the mattress. His legs stayed tangled with the cook's, and he clumsily brushed sweat out of his eyes. His breathing started to slow and his heart gradually stopped pounding against his ribs.

Sanji, on his stomach in the tossed sheets, turned his head sluggishly to look at the swordsman. His damp hair hung in his blue eyes, his cheeks were flushed, and his breath was still heavy against his bicep. Zoro smiled at the cook's ravished appearance and ran the tops of his fingers over his lover's sweaty skin.

"I can't believe you let me do that," Zoro murmured.

Sanji snickered. "I can't believe you slammed my head into the headboard."

Zoro's fingers quickly switched from soft caressing and pinched Sanji's skin just above his ass. The cook retaliated by reaching out and smacking the swordsman's shoulder. Zoro laughed and rolled to his side. He slid his arms around the slighter man and kissed Sanji's neck.

Sanji shifted to rest on an elbow, and brushed Zoro's hair back with his free hand. He looked down at the swordsman with heavy-lidded eyes, and smiled softly.

"It is always like this?" he asked.

Zoro looked up at him and pulled the blond's body closer. "So far, yeah."

Sanji continued to study his face. Zoro felt his heart flutter under that gaze and he nuzzled into the gentle touch of the cook's thumb on his jaw. If only they could stay like this. If only he had found out about all this sooner, he could have protected Chopper and Usopp; he could have helped Kaya. Now his friends were in danger and Sanji was going to be in harm's way yet again. He knew the cook was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but Zoro could not keep himself from thinking worst case scenario. What would he do if he lost Sanji again?

"What are you thinking about?" Sanji asked suddenly. "Your forehead is doing that extra wrinkly thing."

Zoro chuckled. "Extra wrinkly thing?"

Sanji nodded and brought his fingers to Zoro's brow. "Right here. It creases extra hard if you're angry or thinking about something that's bothering you."

Zoro sighed and turned into Sanji's embrace. "I'm just worried about Chopper," he said into the cook's chest. "Chopper and Usopp and what's going to happen to Kaya…"

He felt Sanji's arm come around him and squeeze. The cook's warm breath puffed in his hair before he felt his lover's lips against his head.

"I'm scared too," Sanji said quietly.

Zoro lay still, listening to Sanji's heartbeat. "What do you suppose they're doing? What do you think they're thinking right now?"

Sanji was quiet a beat before he answered in a whisper, "They're waiting for us. They know we'll do everything we can to get them back."

Zoro's hands tightened around Sanji. "Everything?" he asked.

He felt Sanji nod. "Yes, everything."

Zoro closed his eyes and nodded as well. He burrowed into Sanji's hold and willed himself to forget, just for a few hours, about what they were about to walk into.

X x X x X

Zoro grabbed his coat from the closet and slid his arms into the sleeves. He made his way down the hall. When he reached the kitchen, pulled out a stool to sit beside Sanji. The cook sat against the island, his elbows resting on Zoro's swords case. He was clothed in black from head to toe, and slowly smoking an imported Dunhill cigarette; courtesy of Law.

"This may be the best thing ever," Sanji breathed, his eyes glazing as he floated in his high end tobacco induced buzz.

"What's the difference?" Zoro muttered, "Smoke is smoke."

"Oh no, this is not just any smoke. This is luxury smoke, made from all Virginia tobacco, and can only be found in specialty tobacconist shops." Sanji took another long drag and smiled. "John Lennon smoked these."

"So then they taste really good?" Zoro made a face.

Sanji shook his head. "They don't taste all that different."

Zoro blinked. "Then I don't get it."

"You're not supposed to get it."

Zoro snorted and fingered the leather tie on the case. "What are you drinking?" he asked, inclining his head towards the mug sitting on the island top.

"It's just coffee," Sanji answered. He pushed the cup in front of the swordsman and took another long drag. Zoro drank and watched the cook as he raised his arms over his head and stretched.

"I'm gonna wear my shoes this time." Sanji smirked. "If that's all right, of course."

Zoro nodded, the corners of his mouth turning up. Sanji's smile was infectious. "I told you it was your rule. You can break your own rule."

"Why did I make that rule? Fighting without shoes isn't really a problem, but fighting without shoes in that club… It's all dirty and bloody, and there's probably glass all over the floor… Surprised I didn't get fucking HIV or something."

Zoro grinned then, his teeth flashing. "You stopped wearing 'em cause you kept breaking shit."

Sanji's eyes turned to him then. "Eh?"

"You fucked up the walls of the pit a couple times, so you stopped wearing shoes during fights. It didn't hurt your game any, so it was good for a while. But then you broke the bar upstairs."

"I _what!?_" Sanji yelped.

Zoro pursed his lips to hold back a laugh. "Yup," he continued when he regained control, "broke the bar. Split it right down the middle. As much as it made CP9 look like a bunch of fucking bad asses, Lucci still stuck us with a thirty thousand dollar replacement bill."

"You're fucking lying!" Sanji's eyes were wide, but the look he was giving Zoro was more amazement than disbelief.

Zoro nodded again, raising the coffee mug to his lips. "So, long story short: you thought it might be lucrative to stop wearing shoes inside the club. No shoes meant that you pull your kicks a little. You don't attack quite so hard when your feet are uncovered." He swallowed and set the mug back on the island. "No more defending sweet ladies from drunken bastards and going home with repair bills to show for it."

Sanji stared. Zoro chuckled. The chuckling became laughter, and pretty soon, both men were giggling like two school girls in the bathroom. Their laughter was so strident in fact, that when Sanji's cell rang they almost missed it.

"What's up?" Sanji answered, wiping tears from his eyes. "Where are you?"

Zoro plucked the mug from the island and stood. He downed the last of the coffee and set the mug in the sink. He turned to watch his lover as he stood and slipped an arm into his leather jacket.  
"No, yeah, we'll come down. Just stay where you are." Sanji frowned suddenly, his tone losing its merriment. "Hey, are… are you okay?"

Zoro frowned as well, and moved back to the island to retrieve his sword case.

"No, it's just… Nevermind." Sanji shook his head. "We'll be down in a minute." The cook closed the phone and stared at it a moment before sliding his other arm into his jacket.

"That Law?" Zoro asked.

"Uh, yeah," Sanji made a face. "He's waiting for us downstairs."

"Something wrong?" Zoro followed Sanji to the door and turned off the lights.

"Maybe," Sanji looked at him. "I don't know. It was kind of weird, I can't really explain it. You'll see when we see him I guess."

Zoro was silent as they took the elevator and stepped out into the underground parking garage. The place was full, as it was a work night. They made their way past rows of Audis, Lexus, and the assortment of Mercedes models, until they spotted Law leaning against Sanji's Nissan. His eyes were hidden beneath his beanie cap, and his long case holding God knew what was slung over his shoulder. He was trying to light his cigarette and was failing miserably.

Law glanced up, and removed the cigarette from his mouth discretely. Immediately, it was obvious to the swordsman that something was bothering the man; bothering him enough that he was having trouble lighting up and didn't want Sanji or himself to see it.

"Your friend Ace called me," Law said softly. "He's bringing that cop friend of his."

"Smoker." Zoro nodded. "He's a good guy."

Law nodded. "I know. I met with him a few years back when I graduated the academy."

Zoro had almost forgotten that Law was actually undercover, and he winced inwardly at his slip. Sanji had obviously forgotten as well, and voiced it aloud. Zoro watched as conversation flowed easily from his lover's lips, but the swordsman could tell that Sanji had seen Law's distress and was trying to figure him out in his own way.

"How long have you been under?" Sanji asked as he unlocked the doors.

"Six years," Law answered. "Sent me straight in when I got assigned to the department. Never done anything else."

"Wow," Sanji replied, obviously impressed. "What happens when you're done? Like, when you get what you're after, or get the persons you're after?"

Law shook his head as he slid into the back seat, setting his case on the floor behind his feet. "I'll probably quit."

Zoro set his own case on the seat next to Law and flopped into the passenger's seat. Law's tone was flat, depressed like he had given up on something important and just didn't care anymore. It was a dramatic change from the cocky, impressive figure that had visited the apartment earlier that day. The dark-skinned man slumped in the back, his lids heavy and his face slack as he watched out the window.

After they had pulled out of the garage and were cruising down the dark streets of Capitol Hill, Sanji pulled out two cigarettes and lit them both. He took one and held it over his shoulder. Law looked at him deadpan for a moment, but took the offered stick without complaint. Zoro watched as Sanji rolled down the window and took a drag. The cook had his thinking face on, so the swordsman said nothing to break the atmosphere the blond had created.

Law sat for a few minutes, smoking and brooding silently, but then sighed and shook his head.

"It's true nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Correct," Sanji replied.

Law scowled and Zoro saw it through the window in the side mirror.

"I don't have to tell you anything," Law said quietly.

Sanji shrugged. "No, you don't. But I can tell you, and so can Zoro: having something on your mind that fucks up your focus before a fight is suicide."

"I don't even know you guys."

"All the better reason to just fucking talk about it." Sanji leaned back in the seat as he hit a red light. "Think of it as being in a confessional, and we're the priests. You can tell us whatever and we can't tell anyone."

"Wow." Law actually chuckled from behind. "That's not kinky at all."

Zoro chuckled as well. The analogy was a little outlandish, but it worked. Law leaned forward and crushed out his butt in the ashtray, a smile pulling at his lips.

"I got told off earlier today," he said, stretching back on the seat. "My uh, partner says I fuck around and I treat him like trash."

"Ha!" Sanji made a fist in the air. "I knew it was love trouble! I'm a fucking genio…" Sanji stopped mid-sentence and glared ahead at the street. "Wait a minute… you said 'him' didn't you?"

Zoro snickered, but covered it with a cough.

"Isn't _anyone_ straight anymore?" Sanji grumbled. "What the fuck?"

"You should talk," Law mumbled, clearly amused.

Sanji stared ahead, watching the road and rolling things around in his head. "So… did you?"

"Fuck around?" Law asked. "No. I've never fucked around. He just thinks I have because some of the guys back home are assholes."

Sanji sighed. "Put the thought in someone's head and it's hard to get out."

Law growled. "I thought he trusted me more than that."

Zoro listened quietly, but when an important question came up in his head, he voiced his thoughts without thinking.

"Is he part of the organization?"

"Yes," Law answered.

Zoro glanced at Sanji. The cook was watching him out the corner of his eye.

"Does he… know about you? Your undercover work?"

Law sat in silence. He did not reply, and when he gave no indication that he was going to answer, Zoro turned around to face him. Seriousness pulled at the swordsman's features, and he lowered his voice.

"Remember, we're not gonna tell anyone. Does he know, or not?"

Law glared out the window and folded his arms over his chest. "He uh…" He chewed at the inside of his cheek. "Yeah… he knows."

"Is he gonna make trouble for you?" Sanji asked.

"_No!_" Law barked, and his eyes flashed angrily at the cook. "He would never do something like that. He may be part of all this, but he's not… he's not a bad guy."

"Are you sure?" Sanji baited. "Lovers scorned turn powerful enemies."

"Hey, you know what?" Law sat forward, his hand gripping the back of Sanji's seat. "Fuck you. You don't know anything about him. He'd never do that to me. Even if I did screw up or he thinks I did, I would still trust him with my Goddamn life. So shut your fucking mouth about it before I cut your throat."

Zoro leaned back in his seat, smiling at Sanji. The cook turned to him and his smirk said he was very proud of himself.

"He loves him," Sanji said slyly.

"Yeah," Zoro replied, "he does."

Law sat unmoving, watching the two in the front communicate with hardly any words. "What that hell?"

Sanji said over his shoulder. "Well, I wanted to know what kind of feelings you had for the guy. If you didn't really care about him, you wouldn't feel bad about the rumors and the fact that he's pissed at you; but just because you care about him, doesn't mean you _really_ care about him."

"You defended him." Zoro added. "You were ready to kill Sanji just because he said something bad about him. You sounded exactly like I would if someone said something like that about Sanji."

Law turned and glared at Zoro, his dark eyes reading past what he could see. He sighed, rolling his eyes, and flopped back against the seat. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"You guys sound just like Enel. _Fuck_. I wanna go home and take a nap."

Zoro heard Sanji snicker as the cook pulled another couple cigarettes out of his pocket and flicked the lighter.

X x X x X

The club was packed. Sweat started to collect between Sanji's shoulder blades the moment he stepped through the door. Johnny nodded to him and Zoro as they passed, and gave Law a long hard stare behind his glasses. Law just smiled at him and followed behind Zoro.

Music thumped, and people crowded around the front bar. Sanji wove his way through the throng, skipping the sign-in sheet, and headed towards the back. Jyabura waited by the door to the basement, arms crossed over his chest and face set in a dark scowl. When the man spotted Sanji and Zoro, his face lit up. He waved, but Sanji made no move to acknowledge him.

_"Sanji," Law had instructed earlier that day, "you're playing the role of a very important figure. People—your friends will try and talk to you, they'll want to be familiar with you like always, but you're going to have to ignore them in the beginning. There's certain traditions you have to uphold to make yourself believable. Until this Seattle boss gives you his support, these guys are enemies._

Law stepped in front of Sanji and whispered the password into the stunned man's ear. Sanji pulled on his bored face and glanced around the room. It felt horrible to be so cold, especially to Jyabura. The guy had seemed to like him so much before.

Jyabura moved aside, and Law led the way down the steps. The music dulled as they descended. The speakers had been turned off, and only the thump of the bass and the highest pitches of vocals could be heard as they made their way across the deserted floors. Several people in expensive looking attire sat at the bar, drinks in hand, mingling with one another. All heads turned as Sanji's party descended the stairs. He heard Zoro growl under his breath and knew the swordsman was making dangerous eye contact with every single one of their onlookers.

Any that would meet that contact anyway.

Sanji paid no attention, but had to clench his jaw down hard to stop an amused smile from breaking out across his face when Law waved and called out a condescending greeting. Their audience turned away and tried to look as if their conversations were important and interesting.

Crossing the dance floor and glancing at the fighting pit, Sanji marveled how the space was completely different when empty. The excitement Sanji had felt when he first was here had evaporated, leaving the area cold and ominous. The bloodstains were darker and the air was so stale it seemed almost poisonous.

Zoro gently touched Sanji's shoulder and pointed to the back of the room. "Over there," he said.

Sanji looked where he indicated and noticed there was a raised seating area behind the bar. Large, cushioned chairs and couches surrounded polished tables, and the area was carpeted and surrounded by a black metal railing. No one had to explain what the area was for, Sanji had a fairly good idea on his own, but it baffled the cook as to how he had missed it when he had been here before.

"I'm going to guess Kaku wants us up there," Zoro said quietly. "It's where the bigwigs usually sit when they come to see fights."

Sanji took a breath, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. "Then let's go."

_"Zoro will be at your side the whole time." Law had taken a drag from his cigarette before settling on the couch. "He's going to be your shadow—your right hand man. Talk to him as freely as you want, and Zoro don't be afraid to get in someone's face if they get too close to Sanji, or try to talk to him after I've said to back off."_

"That won't be a problem." Zoro had glanced at Sanji then and smiled ever so slightly.

The cook settled into one of the large, cushioned chairs. He rested one ankle over the opposite leg, and pulled out a cigarette. He watched the stairs as he lit up, and reached out a hand to pull at Zoro's pants as the swordsman leaned against the armrest.

"Mm?" Zoro breathed as he came close.

Sanji stroked the skin of Zoro's neck like a puppy's and tilted his head in invitation. The swordsman was happy to oblige by leaning in further and kissing along Sanji's jaw. The cook's eyes stared straight ahead, knowing that they were being watched, but finding he actually enjoyed it.

_"Be affectionate with each other," Kidd had said as he rummaged through the fridge, "let everyone know that you do what you want no matter who's watching."_

"Your friend's here." Law said, taking a drag from his own cigarette and nodding his head toward the stairs.

Sure enough, Luffy appeared descending the steps, wearing his usual shorts and sleeveless top. His straw hat sat low on his brow, and for the second, maybe third time in his life that Sanji knew of, he was dead serious. Nami was on his arm, wearing a black evening gown and her hair up in pins. She looked fantastic; composed and classy next to her unorthodox partner.

Kidd followed close behind, doing the same as Law had before him. He waved to the onlookers and flashed a large and sinister smile across the room. Unlike Law, who had opted for a traditional black suit and tie, (minus the cow-printed beanie hat, but Sanji let him have that one) Kidd had gone even more flamboyant than what was probably normal and flourished a lengthy coat of yellow and red with an _extreme_ fur collar.

Although, in retrospect, he looked like he belonged with Luffy, so it worked itself out.

The younger Portgus caught Sanji's eye and nodded to the cook. Sanji raised the hand that held his cigarette and motioned to the chair across from him. Luffy climbed the steps and sat, pulling Nami gently into his lap.

Kidd stayed by the stairs, leaning against the railing. He tilted his head and asked Sanji in a low voice, "Seen your friends yet?"

Sanji shook his head. "Kaku and Lucci are probably still upstairs, no doubt planning our quick, messy, and untraceable deaths."

"Aw..." Law made a face. "Why do you say that?"

Sanji shrugged and took another drag. "That's what I'd do. I'd be pissed that we'd been lied to for so long…"

Sanji felt Zoro's strong hand on his shoulder and brushed his fingers over the swordsman's knuckles.

"I don't think Kaku'll be that mad," Luffy said.

Sanji turned to his friend and cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really? Why do you think?"

Luffy shrugged. His eyes were big as he rested his head against Nami's shoulder. "I just don't think he will. He's not like that."

Zoro nodded beside Sanji. "Hope you're right, Luffy."

Kidd waved his hand, catching everyone's attention, and motioned to the stairs. The small trickle of people coming down into the basement had thickened significantly. More shady-looking men in expensive suits descended the stairs, followed by women dressed as if going to a cocktail party. Instead of the club's norm of three dollar beers and vodka shots, the patrons held tall glasses of champagne and deep, glass goblets of red wine.

"And here they come." Law leaned back, lacing his fingers together behind his head. "Crawling out from whatever hole they're living in."

"Who are they?" Sanji asked behind his palm, disguising his question with a drag on the cigarette.

"Nobodies," Kidd answered with a sneer. "They're guys tryin' to get made, or they're tryin' to look important by acting like they know people. Some are probably business associates of the various groups in this area. Probably more than half of them only know the password because they got money."

"High rollers on your previous fights," Law added.

Sanji shook his head. "How the hell are we gonna go back to normal after all this?"

Law chuckled and shook his head. "Who cares about normal? Keep living the way you do, and let your fights bring in an extra for or five figures. What's wrong with that?"

"There's _nothing_ wrong with that," Nami stated with a firmness that had Kidd laughing loud enough to turn heads—if only for a moment.

Sanji just happened to be watching the stairs as a pair of long legs in expensive black slacks descended. The legs were followed by a long, and powerful torso. If the height and muscular build had not given the figure away, the familiar stark white suspenders and tie against his black ensemble would have. Sanji did not have to say a word, not even a signal to his friends of who was approaching. Lucci commanded silence with just his presence, and every eye in the room was on him before he reached the ground floor.

"Oh." Law smiled and pulled his hat farther down on his forehead. "Now it gets good."

The dark-skinned man met up with his colorful partner at the stairs, and the two descended and met Lucci together on the floor. Soft murmurs from the onlookers hummed, but the crowd kept the volume surprisingly low. Sanji and the others watched the three imposing men converse in soft voices, tension high in the air. The cook felt a single bead of sweat roll down between his shoulder blades as his adrenaline started to pump through his veins.

_"Kidd and I are posing as your guys' advisors," Law had explained. "We're like right hands, but we deal specifically in communication and negotiations. If it really does go by the books, Lucci can come and talk to you guys directly, but it's more… polite if he goes through us first. We'll get everything straightened out with him, let him know firsthand that we're requesting his and his Boss' backup, that no one meant any harm to his group, and we apologize for stepping on any toes, but we had no choice."_

"I'm also gonna slip him a couple hundred thousand," Kidd added. "That'll smooth things along."

"A couple hundred thousand!?" Sanji had shrieked. "What the fuck? Are you guys made of money or something!?"

Law shrugged. "Business in LA is good this time of year."

"So, um, Luffy? Zoro?" Nami asked carefully.

"Hm?" Zoro turned toward her.

"If Kaku decides that he's not going to help us, and he instead tries to kill all of you… Should I shoot him first and then Lucci? Or should I take out Lucci first?"

"You have a gun!?" Sanji whispered loudly.

"And when I'm getting away, should I call the police? Or should I call Ace? Cause if you guys are wreaking havoc on everything in this room, I'm not sure if calling the cops is the best idea ever."

Zoro opened his mouth to say something—probably to answer the question seriously, which both amused and bothered Sanji on a number of levels, but Luffy spoke first.

"I'm telling you guys, Kaku isn't like that. Don't make plans for anything like that. Kaku'll be fine."

Sanji shook his head, looking up to meet Zoro's eyes. The swordsman scratched at his chin and shrugged. "I'm just gonna go with it," he murmured.

The three at the bottom of the stairs broke away, and Lucci opened his cell phone. He turned his back to them and spoke quietly into the receiver. He nodded once or twice and slipped his free hand in his pocket. Kidd and Law climbed the steps and plopped down beside each other on the couch next to Sanji. They both looked at each other and shook their heads.

"What?" Sanji asked. "What's wrong? What'd he say?"

"No, no," Law waved his hand in dismissal. "Nothing's wrong. It was just…"

"It was a creepy fucking conversation," Kidd finished.

"Yeah." Law nodded. "A really creepy conversation. I felt like he knew everything about me, and he was going to go kill my children after this is over… And I don't even have any children."

Luffy grinned. "Lucci's always like that. He probably likes you."

Kidd and Law both turned to the younger Portgus a looked at him like he had just declared he was going to buy sheep and raise them on the moon.

The door to the upstairs swung all the way open, slamming against the concrete wall and sending a loud _boom_ throughout the whole room. Heads turned, and conversation stopped as attention was solely focused on the group that came through the doorway and started down the stairs.

Sanji recognized Jyabura and Kumadori at the head of the group. They moved side by side, surveying the room and looking as if they were taking a mental head count. Directly behind them were two faces Sanji did not know. One was a tall man with dark hair and pouting features. He guessed that maybe this was the 'Blueno' fellow they had mentioned before. The youngest of the pack was a short, round boy that could not have been passed his late teens. From a distance, Sanji saw there was something funny about the kid's mouth, but could not make out any detail.

The four made their way down to the floor, but one figure stood at the top of the stairs. He watched, silhouetted by the light from the club on the first floor. Sanji knew it was Kaku the moment he laid eyes on him. The Boss' lean build and trademark ball cap were unmistakable. Zoro rose to his feet at Sanji's side, and Law and Kid sat up to watch what the powerful man was going to do.

This was the moment—the turning point in their plan. This could go either very good, or very, very badly. Sanji swallowed hard. He was not worried for himself, and he trusted that Zoro and Luffy could take care of themselves. But if Kaku decided to turn his back on them, if he decided to leave them on their own, or worse: if he decided to go _against_ them, the cook had no idea how they were going to handle that on top of getting Chopper and Usopp out of this cluster-fuck.

"Stay where you are," Law said softly to Sanji.

"Shut up. I know." Sanji pulled a fresh cigarette from his pack and tapped it nonchalantly on the back of his hand. He tilted his head to the side and slipped the stick between his lips. He lit the tip slowly and set the lighter carefully on the stand beside him.

Taking a slow and savory drag, the blond met Kaku's eyes and nodded to the lanky man. He motioned ever so slightly with his hand, calling Kaku over, and patted the seat beside him.

"Sanjiiii…" Kidd murmured though his teeth. "Not a good idea. Don't just call him over like you own the place. Too much confidence in yourself is really fucking bad."

Sanji shook his head. "It's not me that I have the confidence in." He glanced over at Luffy, winking at his young friend. "I just trust in the words of a very wise friend."

Luffy grinned at him, and turned in time to watch Kaku descend the stairs and make his way across the room. His legs were long, and he made the trip in surprisingly few steps. There was no sound as Kaku climbed the stairs two at a time, and stood at the threshold of the V.I.P. seating area. The long-nosed man made no indication that he was going to speak. No signs to give away if he was angry or excited or anything. He just stood, watching Sanji and Zoro carefully with his hands resting in the pockets of his jet black leather jacket.

Sanji's blood began to run cold under that stare. He felt a portentous energy pressing on him where he sat, and had to make a conscious effort to not squirm under its weight. He began to have second thoughts about his demeanor and attitude, and wished he had listened to Law and done nothing.

But then, Kaku sighed and moved to sit in the chair Sanji had offered. He slumped down in the seat and put a foot up on the polished coffee table.

"Well I'll be a horse's ass…" the long-nosed man grumbled good-naturedly. "I can't believe you done got one over on me like that. I must be losin' my touch."

Law and Kidd relaxed into the couch cushions. Luffy's grin widened and Nami let out a breath as she put an arm over his shoulders. Sanji relaxed as well, feeling Zoro's hand come down on his shoulder once again. The cook had been able to feel the swordsman's tension almost tangibly. It lessened at Kaku's words, but it still clung to the air and slid across Sanji's skin. The blond reached out blindly and covered the tanned hand that held tightly to a hilt of white and gold. Zoro's grip relaxed, and the swordsman rested against the side of the chair.

"So..." Kaku lifted his hands behind his head and rested his head on his laced fingers. "Guess we solved the problem of you challengin' Blackbeard and his band of goons. No restraints now. Give 'em hell. I'll back ya."

The noise level of the basement skyrocketed with Luffy's outbursts, the crowd's excited cheers, and greedy onlookers already starting to place bets on the fights to come. Lucci climbed the stairs to join their group and make introductions as Kaku grinned and shook Law and Kidd's hands.

Sanji celebrated quietly with one last deep drag of his cigarette, and a soft, restrained kiss from a swordsman practically shaking in his excitement.

**TBC**


	28. Chapter 28

Yes, I have not forgotten this story. Here is chapter 28 finally. Got a nice chunk of Brook in there for all those Brook lovers. Even a little Franky, I felt he was being a little neglected. So read away, hope you all enjoy! And thank you so much to SinisterBug for the read through~!! xDD

**Chapter 28**

Brook slid his Roles Royce into the parking spot beside Franky's F-150. He took a moment to retrieve his cigarette tin from an inside pocket and light a long, clove stick. He inhaled the spicy tobacco and licked the lingering sweetness from his lips.

Although the musician had managed to unclench his jaw and relax his aching shoulders, his hands still trembled slightly with carefully controlled fury. Brook did not anger easily, in fact, he considered himself one of the most easygoing individuals on the planet. He loved people. He loved playing his music for large, rowdy crowds. He loved the intimacy of playing the piano for a few quiet couples as they enjoyed a romantic dinner. He could look passed bad attitudes and bad spirits when he communicated through his music. With music—with song, Brook spoke to the parts of people that could not be reached with words. With music, everyone was friends and comrades… _nakama_ was the word Zoro sometimes used.

But these hateful people had crossed a line. These people had taken his comrades, _his nakama_. They had taken his friends and _hurt_ them. When Brook had heard that Usopp and sweet, kind, innocent Chopper had been kidnapped, he had made a decision. There was not a song—not a single note in the universe he would play for these lost souls. There was no redemption here, no soothing of these savage beasts.

The next music he would play would be over their graves.

A tapping on his window brought him out of his brooding, and he looked up to find his best friend standing uncharacteristically still outside his vehicle. The musician opened his door, and unfolded himself from the driver's seat of the sleek, grey Ghost. Standing, he was nearly a head taller than Franky, but the engineer was his only friend that even came close to his height.

"Ace is en route," Franky said simply. "He just dropped Vivi and Robin at the club."

Brook nodded and sucked on his cigarette. The plan was for the three of them to meet up in the hotel parking lot a few blocks down from their destination, and close in on foot. This made them less conspicuous, less of a target, and allowed them a better chance of casing the parking lot without being noticed. If things went well, as in if they found someone with information they could use—like where Blackbeard's men were holding Chopper and Usopp—Brook would text Sanji using the word 'Beef'. If something went sour, he would text a message containing 'Starving'.

Brook had no doubt who had thought up those code words.

"I hope Luffy and the guys break some skulls," Franky said glaring at the ground. "If Little Bro's got one scratch on him…" His hands clenched into fists. His words trailed off, but he didn't need to voice his thoughts. Brook knew his friend was thinking about Usopp.

For the last few years, Franky had been Usopp's mentor. They had grown close as the seasoned architect helped Usopp through his studies. Franky had guided the younger man through his training in hopes of someday maybe working together on their shared passion: boats. To him, this really was like his little brother had disappeared. Unlike Franky, Zoro, and several of the others in their group of friends, Brook was not exceptionally close with either Usopp or Chopper. He could not even begin to—nor did he want to—comprehend what they were all going through.

Tires screeched and Ace's Jeep pulled into the parking lot. Brook pushed off the side of his car and stood straight. Tossing the remainder of his cigarette on the ground, he crushed the butt with his toe, and smoothed the collar of his dress coat.

"We _will_ fix this, Franky," Brook said softly. "We will get them home safe and whole. We just have to trust in Luffy."

Franky nodded as he watched Ace climb out of the driver's seat.

"I hope so… for the kidnappers sakes."

Brook offered a small smile as Ace joined them. "I would think it's more for _our_ sakes. Killing does make for some extraordinarily tedious cleanup."

X x X x X

Zoro gave Sanji's shoulder one last squeeze and stood. He crossed the seating area and leaned against the railing beside Law. The dark-skinned man puffed on a cigarette and glanced at the swordsman out the corner of his eye.

"What's happening?" Zoro asked. "Atmosphere in here just went tight."

Law shrugged. "Blackbeard's probably here."

Zoro's hackles rose. "What?"

Law straightened and turned to lean his elbows against the railing. "While you two were sucking face, a couple of Blackbeard's guys came in and spoke to Lucci."

Zoro ground his teeth and leaned forward to growl in Law's ear. "You might wanna tell me something important like that next time."

Law shrugged. "Nothing you could do about it, except maybe glare really menacingly in their direction." He puffed on his cigarette and added bitterly. "Anyway, I didn't want to break up your moment with your man."

Zoro looked away. He felt for Law in this respect. He was sorry things weren't going well between the man and his lover. There wasn't much he could do, but he did remember how good it felt to have friends he could talk to. Being a prominent figure in an organized crime ring, not to mention an undercover cop, probably left Law with little or no friends to confide in.

Zoro noticed Kidd watching them intently, but turned away and looked at Law pointedly. "Sanji and I are the way we are because we talk about stuff. We don't keep things from each other." The swordsman almost grinned as he remembered how hard that had been at first with Sanji's pride and his own shortcomings with social interaction.

Law still didn't look directly at him. "I try to, with him I mean. I try to tell him the shit he heard was a bunch of crap, but…" He shook his head. "You know, it's a real fucked up time to be talking about this."

Zoro glanced back at Kidd, who was glaring so hard at him that the swordsman felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He did his best to shake it off and returned his attention to Law. "You're so fucking distracted by it, it would be stupid not to."

Law straightened and leaned in to speak quietly but viciously into Zoro's ear. "What the fuck am I supposed to say? He just hates me now, okay? He won't listen to a damn word I say. He won't open up, he won't… He just…" Law's voice cracked, but he cleared his throat and continued. "He hates me, and there's nothing I can do, all right?"

"He doesn't hate you," Zoro murmured. "If he hated you, he would be ignoring us and not trying to kill me with his lazer glare."

Laws eyes widened, but he didn't move. That intense feeling Zoro had felt when the two men entered his apartment earlier that day returned. Law was on the defensive again.

"What the hell are you talking about? I never told you-"

""I may look like a muscle head, but I'm not," Zoro said softly. "It's obvious. Kidd's been looking at me like we wants to open up my chest and rip my heart out with his bare hands. If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't care that we're having a close, possibly intimate conversation right in front of him."

"That's stupid," Law scoffed. "Not even two minutes ago you had your tongue down Sanji's throat."

"You think that matters to him?" Zoro asked. "All he sees is you talking to _me_. Your body almost touching _mine_. Your lips close to _my_ ear. You wanna see what he does if I touch you?"

"No!" Law barked, pulling back a little. He glanced around, waving at onlookers, curious as to his outburst.

"I have enough rumors going around about me right now," he said through a fake smile. "I don't need another one."

Zoro nodded. "You know, the very fact that he's upset about the rumors at all is a good sign."

"Yeah, but," Law made a face, "that takes us back to the original problem: He thinks they're true."

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Zoro turned to look at Sanji, handsome and debonair as he lounged in the cushioned chair. He was loose, ready for a fight, and he watched Zoro through a curtain of soft blond with his ocean blue eyes.

"Well," Zoro smiled. "A pretty smart asshole once said to me, 'love isn't worth it if it isn't hard'."

X x X x X

Like most clubs in Seattle, the parking lot was exceedingly small. It was really just a space of twenty to thirty spaces in the area beside the building. Across the street however, there was a parking garage that accommodated the surrounding two to three blocks. A ticket was given at the gate, and if you showed it to the bartenders in the nearby clubs, they would punch it when you paid your tab. If you spent more than twenty-five dollars on drinks, the parking fee was waved.

Following Franky as the large man slipped over the waist-high barrier, Brook walked with a flourish. His black lacquer cane swung at his side, and his hat sat offset at a carefully calculated angle. He would never admit this to his friends, but he was secretly hoping that they would run into trouble. He was itching for a good fight, having not been a part of one in some time. His nerves sang in anticipation and he glanced over his shoulder as Ace spoke quietly into his phone.

"Hey, Smoker, we just got to the garage… Yeah, we can see the entrance from here too…"

Brook felt Franky's hand on his arm, and the musician turned to face him.

"Can you take that isle?" Franky motioned with his head. "If we spread out, we can case this whole place in one quick sweep before we go across the street."

Brook nodded, and turned to saunter down the second lane of cars. His steps were light, and he flipped his cane to rest on his shoulder. He wished he had brought his harmonica, so he could play the strange tune that was playing in his head. What was that, B minor? Maybe A flat? Everything should have a soundtrack, especially situations like this.

There was a loud clang followed by a long metallic hum. Brook's head snapped around. It took him a moment to realize the sound was an elevator descending, and when he did he mentally slapped himself. The second floor of the parking garage had been shut down for months due to construction. It had been bad for m on their part to not think of checking that second level.

_Oh well,_ Brook thought to himself, _I just want a fight. The where doesn't really matter to me…_

The door opened and a tall, black man with short dreadlocks appeared. He wore a brown trench coat and, despite it being well after sunset, a pair of dark sunglasses. He stepped slowly out of the lift and regarded Brook with a tilt of his head.

"Good evening," Brook said cheerfully, tipping his hat. "Hope we're not disturbing."

"You should leave now," the man said in a deep bass. "You don't know what you're up against."

"Brook! You okay!?" Ace called from the next row.

Brook held up his hand to the younger man, signaling for him to stay put. He shifted and rested his weight on his cane. He crossed one foot over the other and mimicked the newcomer's head tilt.

"I don't believe we've met." Brook flashed a brilliant smile. "May I have the pleasure of your name?"

The man stared deadpan, and Brook's shoulders sank with feigned disappointment. "So rude," he commented. "I was hoping we could be friends."

"_Brook look out!_" Franky's voice echoed across the garage.

Brook was already moving. There was a second man coming at him from behind a car, and he had not concealed himself well. The musician pivoted right, bringing up the cane to crack solidly underneath the attacker's jaw. In almost a continued motion, he spun back around to knock the pistol from the first man's hand. With one last flourish, Brook pressed the tip of the cane to his adversary's throat. "Don't move," he growled.

There was a sound of scuffling, and Brook glanced to the side to see Ace toss a man over his shoulder. The body hit the ground with a heavy thud, and Ace was up and ready for another. Leaving the older Portgus to what he did best, Brook's attention returned to his own opponent.

Franky appeared at the musician's side, dragging two large men by the backs of their jacket collars. They were down for the count, hands and legs dragging on the concrete. When Franky came to stand beside Brook, he released them, letting their heads smack onto the pavement.

"What now?" the architect asked.

Brook cocked an eyebrow and pressed the cane harder into their first adversary's neck. "What is on the second floor?"

The man's eyes flashed warily between Brook and Franky. He opened his mouth to say something, but was momentarily distracted when a cry echoed across the garage and was cut off abruptly. Brook glanced in Ace's direction once more, and saw that his young friend had a blond, dark-skinned man in a choke hold.

"_Gahck! Five!_" The blond managed to weeze as his throat was crushed by Ace's bicep. "_Don't let 'em… ack!_"

Brook looked away as Ace increased the pressure, blocking the blood flow in the blond's neck. Another heavy thud sounded and the musician surmised that the man had finally passed out.

"Five, is it?" Brook asked, his eyes returning to the black man. "Why don't you tell us what is on the second floor before someone else gets hurt?"

Five sneered and put up his hands defiantly. "Go ahead. I'm not afraid of your little walking stick, old man."

Brook opened his mouth to reply, but Ace interrupted. "I suggest you do what he says, save yourself a few broken bones." The firefighter retrieved Five's gun from beneath the Nissan two spaces over. He ejected the clip. "Jacketed hollow point," after checking the rounds, he slapped it back into place, "and they're explosive. These are all kinds of illegal."

Franky made a noise at Brook's side. "Dude, does anyone else feel like we've entered _The Twilight Zone?_"

Ace nodded at the engineer. "Yeah, maybe just a little."

Brook pushed Five backwards towards the elevator, pressing the tip of his cane ruthlessly into the muscled flesh of the other man's throat. "Take us up to the second floor, now. We have no time for this twaddle."

Franky snickered. "Twaddle? That's a new one."

Brook made a face at his friend. "I didn't make that one up. Twaddle is like… 'hogwash' or… 'gobbledygook.'"

Franky grinned at him and moved forward to take Five by the collar. "I'll take your word for it."

X x X x X

Law sighed softly and pulled out another cigarette. "You really do sound like Enel. It's almost creepy." He flicked his lighter and lit the end of his stick. "We really should get you and Sanji down South sometime. You guys would be good investments. Can't wait to see you fight."

Zoro snorted and propped his hands behind him on the railing. "Won't happen, but thanks for the offer."

Law nodded and turned around to lean against the railing as well. He breathed in a deep drag and blew a few small rings of smoke up into the air.

"You know," he said, "Luffy's girl, the red head… She's pretty amazing."

Zoro watched Luffy speak softly to Nami as the girl sat next to him. She un-crossed and re-crossed her legs slowly, aware of the eyes that had been glued to her body since the moment she had entered the club. She was playing her part beautifully. She hung on to every word that passed Luffy's lips, her eyes never leaving her lover for a moment. She made him look good, a perfect trophy for the big shot the Portgus was having no trouble pulling off.

A thought crossed Zoro's mind, and surprisingly, he felt his cheeks heating. Was he kind of like a trophy to Sanji? Could he be? He was there for a fight. He wasn't there to be eye candy and hang on Sanji's every word.

But it would be kind of cool, wouldn't it?

"Aren't those your friends?" Law's voice snapped him out of his musings.

Zoro turned and spotted Robin and Vivi descending the stairs. Vivi looked every bit the distinguished heiress in a strapless dress of shimmering, light blue. At her side, quite the opposite, Robin looked like she was part of the mob herself, maybe even a prominent figure. At first Zoro thought her dress was black, but as she moved through a patch of light, he saw it was actually a deep purple. Her left shoulder was bare as the dress only had one sleeve, and a silver band wound around her bicep. The two ladies looked just that: like ladies. Women of class and pedigree, gracing a barbaric establishment like this one for the simple thrill of danger.

Conversation continued, but decreased in volume as every eye turned to the two women crossing the floor. Nami rose and met them at the stairs to the VIP platform. They did that girly kissing of each cheek, and the red head lead them to seats between Luffy and Sanji. Drinks were offered, but only Robin accepted, inclining her head graciously so a tease of raven-black hair fell over here eyes.

"Wow," Law chuckled. "Hell of a sight. This means your guys are in the parking lot?"

"Yeah," Zoro answered, his voice dropping to a growl. "That's the signal."

X x X x X

The elevator rose, making that grinding, squeaking noise that made Brook's ears ring. Franky stood in front of him, the back of Five's collar in his hand. Ace stood at his side, leaning against the lift's wall. The musician could hear the older Portgus flicking his Zippo lighter in his pocket over and over. Ace was keyed up, and that was usually hazardous in itself, but this time the man had a loaded pistol tucked in the back of his jeans.

Brook put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "They'll be fine. They're both strong."

Ace smiled softly and looked at him out the corner of his eye. "Are you talking about Zoro and Sanji, or Usopp and Chopper?"

Brook glanced away thinking, but then his eyes returned to the younger man. "Yes."

The lift stopped and Ace moved forward to open the sliding door. Franky pushed Five out first, steering him by his coat. Brook and Ace waited inside until Franky muttered a quiet 'okay'.

The second level of the garage was cluttered. Broken cement blocks, yellow tape, and large construction equipment sat abandoned and cold ubiquitously. Pillars and drapes of plastic blocked a good chunk of their line of sight, so they moved carefully as they made their way through the debris.

Ace whistled and Brook and Franky turned. The dark-haired man gave a silent signal to keep eyes and ears open, but make as little sound as possible. Brook nodded and continued to follow Franky.

"This is stupid," Five growled. "There's nothing up here you want. Just let me go and we can- _ack!_"

"Sorry," Franky said as he pulled tight on Five's collar. "Thought I heard somethin' annoying."

There was a clatter and all eyes turned toward a large, hanging piece of grey plastic. "Five!" a voice called out. "What the hell are you doing? What's going on with the guys downstairs?"

Five struggled, but Franky made a fist and knocked him on the head. The tall man's lean body crumpled to the ground, out cold.

A large hand appeared at the edge of the plastic and pulled it back. The man revealed was tall, exceptionally so, with arms the size of tree trunks, and his hair was a blaze of sunflower blond. When he saw Brook and his friends, his eyes widened in surprise. "What the hell?" he growled.

Coming forward, he pushed the plastic out of the way and pulled a small handgun from a holster strapped to his back. Ace was quick to respond, almost mirroring the blond man as he drew the pistol from his jeans. The four stood in a standoff, the blond holding his piece at an angle, and Ace aiming the pistol expertly balanced in both hands.

"Who the hell are you guys?" the blond asked.

Brook bowed cordially, not affected in the slightest at having a gun pointed in his direction. "My name is Brook. This here is Franky, and this is Ace. We've come to extract any information you can give us on some friends of ours. Usopp and Chopper? Perhaps you know them? One has a long nose and the other looks like a doll?"

The blond stood silent for a moment, no doubt bewildered by the musician's polite tone. He blinked finally and lifted the piece, aiming directly at Brook.

"Oh, I get it. You're friends with those guys in there gonna fight Boss." He sneered, his teeth flashing as his lips pulled back. "Get lost man, you don't know what you've gotten yourself into."

Ace stepped forward, his stance steady but wound like a loaded spring. His eyes were cool as he held the large blond man in his sites.

"You tell us where our friends are, or I swear on the Portgus family name you'll wish I had ended you here."

The blond's mood shifted suddenly. His gun lowered several inches, and the color in his face seemed to drain away.

"P-Portgus?" he stuttered. "What the fuck do you mean, Portgus? Who are you again?"

"My name is Ace D. Portgus you son of a bitch. Now, tell me where my friends are." Ace's rage was palpable. As the dark-haired man spoke in his quiet but terrifying voice, the air around him seemed to heat making Brook's dress shirt stick to his back.

The blond stood for a moment, his eyes wide and his breath coming quicker than it had before. There was point where everything seemed to stand still, all movement and sound had slowed or stopped as their adversary's brain took in everything that was happening. Brook felt that if the bead of sweat that had collected on the man's jaw were to fall, it would be suspended as time froze.

"Hey, Morgan!" a voice rang out through the garage. "What the fuck are you doing over there!?"

Motion kicked back in, and sound assaulted Brook's senses as chaos erupted. He saw Ace throw his Zippo, clipping Morgan directly in the forehead. Bullets went flying sporadically as the blond fired wild. Franky threw himself to the ground, and Brook followed. The musician heard Ace charge Morgan, and the sound of flesh hitting flesh rang through the garage as the Portgus laid into the larger man.

"Go!" Brook called out to Franky. There were others, and they needed to get to them before the thugs sent more bullets Ace's way.

Franky stood and sprinted left. If there were more behind the plastic tarps, they could flank them if Brook distracted by coming up the middle. Trusting that Ace would be all right, Brook placed his cane over his shoulder and advanced.

As Brook pulled the plastic aside, he revealed quite a peculiar scene. A large, white van sat facing the musician amongst the rubble and machinery. Brook could see one of the back doors was open and the windows were tinted. _Surveillance?_ He thought at first. Several large men sat around in makeshift chairs, cigarettes and playing cards discarded and replaced with all types of firearms. They looked at Brook questioningly as the musician revealed himself. They lowered their weapons, no doubt confused to see a tall, skinny, black man with an outrageous afro, and nothing in his hands but a cane.

"Good evening, gentleman," Brook flourished the cane and bowed politely. "My name is Brook. Please remember it when you reach hell and they ask who sent you. They're keeping score for me."

X x X x X

Zoro's adrenaline pumped as the music ceased. Even upstairs, the bass had stopped thumping. With the sudden absence of the heavy sound, Zoro's ears rang and his head seemed lighter.

He turned toward the stairs and let his hand move to Wado's hilt. "Where is he?" he growled.

Law crushed his cigarette between his fingers and dropped the butt into the ashtray at his side. "Keep your panties on."

Lucci appeared. He stepped to the side and offered a hand in welcome as several figures stepped through the doorway. The first two were unremarkable with easily forgettable faces, average heights, and identical haircuts. The third, however, was a man Zoro knew all too well. His size and height set him apart from most men in the room. His hair was buzzed short and graying. His vest was open, revealing the large tattoo on his chest, and dark, smooth skin shone when he passed under the hanging florescent lights.

Zoro saw red. His blood pumped so furiously through his veins it was a marvel his arteries didn't explode. The swordsman's lips pulled back in an unrestrained snarl, his teeth bared as he fantasized tearing into that dark-skinned neck.

This was Bones, the man that had almost ruined his life; the man who had almost taken Sanji away from him. Because of this man, the swordsman had almost lost everything. There was not enough pain in this world to inflict that would make Zoro feel justified.

Just as he thought he would lose it, cool fingers slid over his, capturing his hand as it gripped Wado mercilessly. A smooth mixture of tobacco and cologne filled his nostrils and warm breath cascaded over his ear and down his neck.

"Zoro, calm down, you're shaking," Sanji's voice broke through his rage, quelling his fury so his vision cleared. "Look at me, Zoro."

The swordsman turned his head, letting those cool fingers rest on his cheeks. He let his eyes lower to watch Sanji's soft lips as he spoke.

"Just wait, love, just calm down… Clear your mind and focus."

Zoro breathed in and out slowly, his heart still racing. "I can't. I wanna kill him."

Zoro felt Sanji's hands slide up into his hair, the cook's lips brushed across his brow.

"Tell me about the time we were at Usopp's. It was stormy outside and the power was off."

Zoro's heart skipped. Sanji was remembering something else. Bones was slowly forgotten as the swordsman racked his brain to remember what Sanji was remembering.

"Uh… I think that was last fall," Zoro said softly. He closed his eyes and slipped his hand from Wado and onto Sanji's hips. "Usopp had a bad flu and the power went out so Kaya called and asked if we could come over. It ended up being a party and Nami won thirteen hundred dollars from us playing Texas Hold."

"Jesus," Sanji chuckled.

"We didn't care," Zoro continued, nuzzling his forehead against Sanji's. "We'd just made ten times that here in the pit."

Sanji was quiet for a moment as Zoro held him. The swordsman let himself relax, calmed by the blond's soft words. From the moment the two of them had changed from enemies to lovers, nothing could soothe the beast within Zoro like the sound of Sanji's voice, or his gentle touch.

"So many memories are flooding back," Sanji finally whispered. "They don't have any context, but they're all so happy. Especially the nights by the windows… I think I love those windows."

Zoro nodded. "You always did like to smoke and watch the city."

Sanji kissed his forehead. "Don't you? That view is spectacular."

Zoro opened his eyes and met Sanji's. "I just like watching you."

Sanji froze for a moment, then opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Law's hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Law said softly, "I don't want to break this up but…" He nodded his head toward the VIP area against the opposite wall. "They're all here, and they're gonna announce the fight any minute"

Zoro didn't look where Law had indicated. He felt himself coming back to his senses and he wanted to stay that way. Balance was crucial in a fight, and he didn't need the sight of Bones and Blackbeard fucking his up.

"Thanks, Law," the swordsman murmured. "We'll be ready."

Law nodded to him and moved to descend the stairs. Kidd followed, shooting one last glare Zoro's way.

Sanji chuckled. "What'd you do to him?"

Zoro shook his head."Talked to Law."

Sanji rolled his eyes and nodded in understanding. "Could they make it any more obvious? They just need to kick the shit out of each other and then fuck 'till they're raw. Wham, bam, thank you man."

Zoro chuckled softly, and kissed Sanji's lips. "Thank you," he whispered when he pulled away.

The cook pulled back, his grip on Zoro's shoulders tightening. "It's nothing." Sanji's body language was cool and collected, but his eyes betrayed his concern.

"Be careful," he finished, his voice less than a whisper. "Please be careful."

Zoro nodded, kissing him once again on the lips; the cheeks; the forehead. "I got this."

Sanji pulled away, slipping a hand in his breast pocket and retrieving his pack of cigarettes. He put one between his lips and flicked the lighter.

"Now," he said, his supercilious mask back on and fastened tight, "go whoop the fucking piss out of someone."

X x X x X

Three lay at his feet as Brook charged another. It was not his fault that they were horrible shots. It was also not his fault that Franky could knock them cold with one hit. The architect had vaulted over the van, taking the men by surprise, and making quick work of two of the largest. Brook stepped through their midst with a light step and a twirl of his cane—in between cracks to their jaws and skulls of course.

As Franky wrestled with an enormous man with grey hair and bandages around his head, Brook stopped before another with thick glasses, wearing a stylish black suit.

"Evening," Brook found himself greeting the man once again.

""Good evening, Brook was it?"

Brook nodded. "Correct, and you are?"

The man smiled condescendingly. He raised a hand and pushed his glasses up his nose with his palm. Brook thought this strange but said nothing.

"My name is Kuro," he said softly, his tone as patronizing as his smile. "It is rare to find a gentleman of such caliber as to introduce himself before a fight."

Brook inclined his head. "I am honored."

Kuro stepped away from the debris and into a relatively clear spot on the concrete. He pulled a long, rapier from a side scabbard and swung it expertly in a criss-cross fashion. "Now, may I suggest we partake in a more civilized fight than Kreig and your friend there?"**

Brook smiled wide and took his cane in both hands. He pulled the handle and slid the hidden sword free, flourishing the blade in his own ostentatious fashion.

"A most excellent suggestion," the musician crooned.

X x X x X

"_Ladies and gentlemen!_" a voice called over a loudspeaker. "_Distinguished guests and colleagues, I am pleased to announce that tonight's activities are about to take place! If you would be so kind as to make your way over to the pit, we will introduce tonight's host and announce our fighters! You're all in for a real treat this evening, I assure you! So settle in and get ready for the rumble of your lives!_"

Cheers erupted through the basement. The sound was deafening as the screams and shouts echoed off the concrete walls. Zoro was impressed at the turnout. He knew that CP9 attracted quite a crowd, be he had never seen anything like this before.

The swordsman stood on the platform above the pit, swords clasped loosely in his hands. He felt the thunder of cheering and the stomping of people's feet through the floor. It pulsed in his body and vibrated in the air against his skin. To feel the energy in the room on the inside and out was euphoric, almost like a drug.

He closed his eyes and waited through the announcements.

"_Your hosts tonight, as you know, are none other than Seattle's own CP9!_" There was a short pause where the screams erupted to almost earsplitting levels. "_Let me say hello and welcome on their behalf, and we hope you are all enjoying yourselves!_" Another pause for effect. "_Their guests tonight are a troop from down South! Please put your hands together and welcome…_"

Zoro tuned out the rest of the intro as Law moved up beside him. "Sanji is at the railing on the North side. You'll be able to see him as you start because you're placed at the South. Shirt and shoes have been removed, and you're only allowed one weapon."

Zoro passed his swords to Law, pulled off his shirt, shoes, and socks, and took Wado back from the dark-skinned man's arms.

"Take the other two to Sanji," Zoro instructed. "No one else holds them unless he says."

Law nodded. "What about the bandana?"

Zoro ran a few fingers over the cloth that covered his head. "If they have a problem with this, tell 'em to come see me."

Law nodded again. "Good luck… oh, and watch your right."

Zoro stood quiet as Law left the platform and a new presence moved in beside him. The swordsman stared straight ahead, thinking of nothing but Sanji's skin. Sanji sighing softly as he slept. Sanji kissing his neck in the morning and telling him it was breakfast time.

"I see your lover is healthy, once again," a deep voice murmured from his right side. "He had me worried for a while."

His emotions were in balance, his energy ready and checked. Nothing was going to break his concentration now. Not even Bones.

"Eleven months in a coma," Bones clicked his tongue. "Hard to imagine there was no brain damage."

Zoro said nothing. He studied the tiles of the pit floor, stained with thousands of fighter's blood. In a few minutes, the swordsman knew that floor would have fresh coat added, and it wouldn't be his.

"Well," Bones continued to try and rattle him, "you must think you're pretty lucky, huh?"

Zoro heard the announcer call his name and the crowd erupted once again.

"_And now, if the fighters would take positions in the pit, we will start the match!_"

Zoro spared no energy looking at his opponent. He moved off the platform and took his position on the South side. He closed his mind off to the howling screams of the crowd, and pulled Wado slowly from her sheath. He set the white and gold saya tenderly on the floor by his feel and straightened, letting loose a few practice swings.

He glanced up and saw Sanji, his hands gripping the railing so hard his knuckles were white. His stance was tense, but when Zoro looked up into his lover's face, he saw the cook was grinning at him. It opened up something inside Zoro's heart, and he felt at peace.

The cook trusted that he would win. So he would.

X x X x X

There was blood on his collar. Brook's crisp, white ruffles were splattered with red and the warm, sticky mess covered his neck and jaw. He pulled a handkerchief from his inside pocket and dabbed at his face. Franky met him among the bodies of knocked out and injured henchmen. The architect's face was flushed and he was smiling like it was Christmas.

"That was awesome," Franky panted. "Too bad there ain't more."

Brook chuckled, wiping his blade down and sliding the weapon back into the cane. "As much as I'm enjoying myself, I'd like to find our friends." The musician looked around him at the mess beneath their feet. "Of course, I don't think there's anyone here that will be able to tell us where they are now…"

"Guys!" Ace called out to them as he made his way through broken concrete. "Careful!" He made furious motions with his arms, pointing to the van.

Brook turned, and Franky slipped behind the closed door. If there was anyone inside, they were no doubt waiting for them with firepower. The approach would have to be extremely careful. Ace moved in beside Brook, pistol in hand. He nodded to Franky and the architect reached out to grab the right side handle.

Suddenly Brook froze. His sensitive ears picked up a sniffle; a quiet sob from inside the van through the open left door. "Wait!" he called out.

Ace turned to look at him, startled at his outburst. Brook paid him no mind and pushed passed the Portgus to rip open the right side door.

"_Brook wait!_" Ace screamed.

Panting, his heart leaping into his throat, Brook bent and thrust his head inside the van's interior. What he saw caused him to smile a brilliant smile and brought tears to his eyes.

Usopp—bound and gagged with strips of electrical tape—pushed himself as far away from the doors as he could. Tears ran down his cheeks, but his eyes were a blaze of fury. Chopper huddled behind him, sobbing uncontrollably, and bleeding from a gash in his forehead. Both of them did not recognize Brook at first, but then Usopp froze and sat forward.

"Mmmf! Mmmf!"

Brook called over his shoulder to Ace and Franky. "It's them! It's Usopp and Chopper!"

The musician leaned in and pulled the tape off Usopp's mouth as Ace pushed into the van to help Chopper. The little doctor wailed and clung to the dark-haired man when his bonds were untied. Ace sat, holding his friend close and whispering comforting words into his ears.

"It's okay, Chopper. It's okay… I love you, I love you too… You're all right… you're all right now…"

"You okay, buddy?" Franky asked Usopp as they helped the young engineer out the back.

Usopp smiled and hugged Franky tight. "Yeah… yeah, I'm super."

X x X x X

Zoro finally let his eyes settle on his opponent. Bones stood ready and waiting, a long daichi with a grey hilt rested calmly in his hand. The sounds of the crowd faded as Zoro's focus narrowed; his heart rate slowed as he readied himself.

"_Okay, men! All out! Anything goes!_" The announcer cried.

"_FIGHT!!_"

**TBC **

**I decided to have Kuro fight with an actual sword instead of invisible Wolverine claws. Deal with it.


	29. Chapter 29, Part 1

Alright. Oh my God. Yeah, it's the last chapter. Okay, 7,000 words turned into 10,000 and then 10 turned into almost 15,000 so I decided to break it up into two parts. I'm putting the first out today, because my wonderful and awesome beta did her read-through really really fast. The second part is done, so no ridiculously long waits for the conclusion. I promise I'll have it up quick. I really hope you enjoy. I'm sad to see it's done, but then again, I'm not. Thank you very much to my beta, Liralen for the speedy read through. xD

**Chapter 29, Part 1**

His heart beat slow and steady, an easy cadence for his mind to follow; to focus. Wado rested in the relaxed grip of his left hand. She sang quietly, sending a pleasant tingle up through his arm; coursed through him like his blood; collected in the sweat that beaded on his forehead and ran between his shoulder blades. Bones swung again and Zoro evaded easily, bending and turning to the side like it was a dance.

They had yet to really move, the two swordsmen stood in almost the exact spots as when the match had started. Zoro stood still, breathing deep, waiting patiently for Bones to strike. He expended no unnecessary energy, wasted no movement. He watched the muscles in the larger man's shoulders; watched Bone's hips and feet as they readied for another advance. The most valuable thing he had learned from Sanji was to spot readying movement, to know how the opponent was going to attack before it happened.

He saw the tension in Bone's hips, the slightest change in the larger man's grip on the grey hilt. Zoro placed his feet, saw the blade come for him, and twisted easily out of the way once again. The crowd cheered—they screamed so loudly Zoro's ears rang painfully. He tuned them out and lifted his eyes to catch Sanji's cool gaze. The cook watched him with total confidence, his eyes flashing with suppressed excitement, and just the smallest bit of envy.

Zoro's adrenaline surged. Sanji's eyes, and the way he stood watching him, said many things. With his arms folded across his chest, and his hip leaning lazily against the railing, he let Zoro see his admiration, his trust and respect. Zoro could read the heat, the sex that was promised in the blond's stance. In that moment, the swordsman wanted nothing more than for the fight to be over, and to be at the mercy of those ocean blue eyes. He wanted to fall under the spell of that silky voice as it whispered in his ears.

Pulling his eyes from his lover, Zoro's focus returned once again to his opponent. He dodged another attack with ease, thinking for one fleeting moment that it all seemed a little too easy.

X x X x X

Ace held Chopper's trembling body against his as he sat leaning against the inside of the van. He took a moment to glance around him at the fashioning of surveillance equipment. There was a small laptop open on a makeshift desk next to, what looked like, some kind of electrical switchboard. Several large cables ran from between the switchboard and another laptop. This one was closed, but the power light glowed brightly in the darkness of the van's interior. Ace knew he had found something, but he quelled his curiosity and pulled his attention back to the shaking form clinging to the front of his shirt.

"Chopper," he said softly. "Chopper, buddy let go for a sec. Lemme get my jacket on you, you're freezing."

Chopper didn't seem to hear him, but Ace managed to shrug out of his leather jacket and slip it around the smaller man's shoulders anyway. When he had situated the two of them once again, he heard Chopper murmur something softly into his chest.

"What was that?" Ace asked, lowering his head to bring his ear closer to the little doctor's lips.

"Sanji… Zoro…" Chopper whispered, "…fight… it's… ri… cheat… cheating…"

Ace felt the tension leave Chopper's body, and he watched as the smaller man's eyes slid shut and his breathing steadied. He had passed out, no doubt from the stress and whatever else Blackbeard's guys had put him through.

"Ace!" Franky leaned in and slipped his head inside the van. "We gotta go, bro. Zoro's in the pit."

Ace nodded. "Good, then everything is going according to plan." He motioned with his free hand. "Hey, get in here for a sec. Look at this setup."

Franky pulled himself up, folding his large body to fit into the cramped space. He looked where Ace pointed and frowned as he looked over the switchboard.

"Huh," he grunted as he scratched his chin. "Kinda weird…"

"It doesn't look like much," Usopp said from the door, "but some of it is pretty high tech. I know that the stuff Blackbeard's guys are wearing are connected to this computer here." He pulled himself up inside next to Franky, and opened the second laptop. He pointed to a cluster of live feeds. "All his goons are hooked up for audio and voice communication, and each of them have a hidden camera set in their clothes."

Franky's hands flew over the keyboard and the feeds changed. "It doesn't really make sense to have all this but have no tower. There's no way to communicate with them from here. This station is obsolete, man."

Usopp nodded. "That's what I thought at first too, since they had all this stuff, but no one was in here using it." The young engineer pointed to the switchboard. "But then there's that thing. I have no idea what that's for. It freaks me out."

Ace listened to their conversation with dread coiling in the pit of his gut. Chopper's words rang in his ears as he studied the familiar looking cables running from the switchboard down to a cluster on the floor. He had seen charred pieces of cable like those amidst smoldering remains of buildings once or twice in his line of work. If what his instincts were telling him were true, Zoro and Sanji had a lot more to worry about than a possibly rigged fight.

"Ace," Brook murmured from the doorway "What are you thinking?"

Ace shook his head slowly. "We uh… might have a really, really big problem."

X x X x X

Zoro side stepped, and folded into a smooth roll across the dirty tiles. Bones was obviously stalling for something. Zoro could tell he was holding back, purposefully drawing the match out. Bones was usually an aggressive fighter. He didn't come at an opponent half-heartedly like he was doing now. Sometimes fighters' styles changed, but not this drastically, this fast. The last time Zoro had seen the man fight had been only six months ago. Shanks had procured a recording of a tournament in Thailand, and Zoro had watched Bones' movements with rapt attention several times.

What was he doing? Was he being overly cautious because he knew Zoro was the better fighter? Was he really stalling? What the hell was going on?

Zoro decided then to move from defensive to offensive, maybe that would get the other man going. He had planned from the beginning to let Bones wear himself down and then attack, causing minimal damage to himself; but that did not seem to be the most effective course of action anymore. A full on attack, a few well timed and well placed strikes, and it would be over. He would end up with injuries to show for it, but injuries could be mended. Cuts could be stitched.

Rolling his neck, popping his joints, Zoro changed his stance and moved before Bones could react. Two strikes and blood welled in two long lines across the tattoo on the larger man's chest. Zoro didn't back away and came forward again, blocking a swing from the daichi. He twisted, giving up his right side as sacrifice, and brought Wado up to strike along the inside of Bone's right hip. He felt flesh part, and warm blood spill over his hand before he moved back and out of the way from another swing from Bones' sword.

Panting, wiping the sweat from his eyes, Zoro watched as Bones bent and held the wound in his side. The gash was deep. It was a cut that would no doubt have incapacitated any other fighter, save Hawk or Zoro himself, but Bones let only a soft breath escape between his lips, and he straightened. His sword hand shook, but he was still in the fight.

Zoro readied himself for his final strike, but he stopped as pain exploded from his right arm. He staggered and pumped his arm to release the sudden cramping in his muscles. The swordsman took a moment to inspect the wound. His enemy had managed to nick the flesh of his shoulder, deep enough that Zoro could see bone and cartilage. Backing away from his opponent, the green-haired man blinked furiously as his vision started to blur.

Why the hell did it hurt so much? Zoro ran his fingers over the cut and they came away covered in something that could not have been his blood. It was too thick, and inexplicably dark. Blood was not that dark. Zoro had seen lots of blood in his time, and this was not natural.

He lifted his eyes to meet Bones' cold stare. The roar of the crowd was now a cacophony of meaningless sounds in his ears. Zoro staggered again as he felt his head start to pound.

"What… the fuck… did you do?" he growled.

Bones stared back at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"What I should have finished a long time ago…"

X x X x X

Ace's pulse throbbed in his ears. If his theory was right, and he was fairly sure that it was, then they were in some deep, deep shit.

"Brook," he said carefully, "I need you to take Chopper. Get back, away from the van. Franky, Usopp, you might wanna go too."

Franky turned and cocked an eyebrow. Usopp came forward and slid his arms around Chopper, taking him gently from Ace's hold.

"Is he okay?" the engineer asked.

Ace pushed a few curls from the little doctor's brow. "He just passed out. Keep my jacket around him, and you might want to get him to a hospital."

Usopp looked up at the older man, a glare darkening his features. "I'm not leaving you guys. Luffy and Zoro, Sanji, Nami… they're all risking their lives for us right now."

Ace held his gaze. "This isn't the time to suddenly get brave, Usopp."

"I'm not brave!" Usopp snapped, but then quickly shot the older man an apologetic look. "Besides, you have any idea what Chopper would do to me if he woke up in a hospital and found out I had just bailed!? He would want to stay, so we're staying."

Ace saw the way the younger man's arms tightened around his unconscious friend. He knew there was no dissuading him, so he nodded and squeezed Usopp's shoulder.

"Okay, but you might wanna get over to the club. Tell Luffy and everybody they need to get out of there."

"Out of the club?" Franky asked as he helped Usopp pass Chopper to Brook. "Why? What's going on?"

Ace moved around Franky to crouch in front of the sinister looking switchboard. He rubbed his hands together and cracked his knuckles.

"Uh, well..." Ace sighed. "I'm pretty sure this is some kind of bomb. And if they have one in here, they probably have one inside the club. I just gotta see if I can figure out what the trigger is."

Silence rang loudly in his ears. Ace could imagine the looks in his friends' faces as they crouched behind him. He ran his fingers over the wires, feeling for heat or twinges of an electrical current.

"Ace…" Brook's voice said quietly from the door. "Ace, we can't leave you here."

"He's right, bro." Franky's voice shook. "This is crazy!"

Ace shook his head. "Someone inside the club or waiting at another station has got a triggering mechanism. It's probably a cell phone, or some kind of PDA. If they're all linked like Usopp says, they can get their guys out and this can go off at any time. Our friends inside will all be dead." He turned his head and looked at Franky, Usopp, and Brook in turn. His eyes pleaded with them to understand.

"My kid brother is in there… Please… go…"

Usopp grabbed Franky's arm. "Come on. Let's go."

Franky gave Ace one last look and moved outside, taking Chopper from Brook. The musician leaned inside and held out his hand.

"Give me the gentleman's gun," he said simply.

Ace handed him the piece and smiled gratefully. "Take care of them."

Brook nodded, and moved to close the door. "I would ask that you try not to die, but I'm afraid that would be redundant."

Ace chuckled. "I won't, I promise. Just get to Luffy."

Brook nodded, tucked the pistol in the back of his trousers, and slammed the door.

X x X x X

Something was wrong. Zoro's balance was off. From where Sanji was standing, he could see that the swordsman's eyes were out of focus. What was happening? Zoro got cut up all the time, but never seemed to notice it. Was the gash on his shoulder that bad?

The cook blinked as images in his mind flashed before him like a movie projector. He knew Zoro took injuries well, because he _remembered_ Zoro taking injuries well. He _remembered_ the slice from the mugger at the park when they had been attacked on their walk home from Pride. He _remembered_ the time Zoro had been stabbed at a tournament and shrugged it off like it was nothing. The judges over the loudspeaker had called him 'The Invincible' and the papers had written an article that had made front page of the _Seattle Times_ sports section.

So what was happening now? Sanji's heart raced and his lungs tightened. It was getting hard to breathe as he watched his lover slow and stagger. The cook braced himself and leaned over the railing. He breathed in and let out a bellow that was heard over the entire crowd. Zoro instantly froze and his eyes widened, clearing as the familiar name, and the voice it was coming from rang in his ears.

"_KILL THIS FUCKING GUY, YOU MARIMO SON OF A BITCH!!_"

X x X x X

Usopp hurried after Brook, as the musician led the way to the elevator. The young engineer favored his left foot, but limped as little as possible. He had said nothing about his injuries before; they had enough to worry about with what was going on in the club, a possible bomb, and Chopper. They didn't need to be stressing about his bumps and bruises.

"We might need to split up," Brook said as he pressed the down button. "Bringing Chopper down into the basement draped over your shoulder might draw attention to ourselves."

"You could take him to the offices upstairs," Usopp offered. "Luffy and them are friends with the owner, aren't they?"

Franky chuckled. "Sort of; a lot's happened since you got nabbed. I'm not sure who we can trust anymore."

The elevator dinged and slid open. They stepped inside and waited as the door shut once again.

"I heard a lot of it earlier when we were locked in some laundry room." Usopp scratched his jaw. "New guys from California have come up and are working for Sanji. I have no idea how you guys pulled that off, but whatever. And Luffy—Luffy's a boss or something. That's cool… I think."

Brook snickered, straightening his jacket. "It's complicated, but I'm sure you will get the full story about what's happening when there is time."

Usopp nodded, still confused but knowing that his friends would come through like they always did.

The elevator opened, and Usopp was about to step through the doorway when a shot rang out. The elevator wall above his head exploded, and Brook was on him, pushing him to the ground.

"Holy shit!" Franky shouted.

Usopp looked up, scanning what he could see of the row of cars. There were figures moving between vehicles and Usopp could see they all had guns.

A voice called from the garage. "Come outta there!"

Brook slowly slid off of Usopp and stood. He offered his hand, and the engineer took it, pulling himself to his feet. Franky situated Chopper on his back, and followed them out of the elevator.

The voice growled. "Where's Portgus?"

Usopp followed the sound and his eyes fell upon a familiar face. Those same twisted features set with strips of metal, sneered at him from down the row of cars. It was the man who had attacked him in his workshop. It was the man who had taken him to Chopper's apartment and forced him to call out to his friend. He was the one who had hit Chopper when they had first stolen him, and then had returned again and again to jeer and kick at his friend when they had been held in that first room.

"Spandam," Usopp growled.

"What?" Brook asked over his shoulder.

"That's the guy that grabbed us," Usopp said softly. "He's the one that messed up Chopper."

Brook's eyes returned to the slim figure pointing the pistol, and ground his jaw. "Oh really?"

Spandam chuckled and moved closer, lowering his gun as he made his way down the row. The three men at his side followed, but kept their weapons up.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events." Spandam's grin was wide and maniacal. "I figured you all were going to head for the club, and none of us were going to get any action here in the parking lot… But here you are." He stopped as he left the row of vehicles and stood in the edge of the drive-around. "Now, I ask again. Where is Portgus?"

"Inside," Brook said. "You should know that through your communications equipment."

Spandam rolled his eyes and lifted his pistol to point at Brook. "I'm not stupid, asshole. I mean the older one. He was with you guys when you went up."

Brook shrugged. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

Spandam's eyes twitched as his anger grew. He changed tactics and turned his attention, as well as his pistol, on Usopp. The engineer's heart leapt into his throat, and he broke into a cold sweat. It was one thing to be kidnapped, knocked around a few times, and thrown into a series of dark rooms, but staring down the barrel of a gun was something entirely different.

"Okay," Spandam snarled, "Let's see if you're so cocky after I kill your friend."

X x X x X

Zoro couldn't believe it. Sanji remembered the name. He remembered the name the cook used to call him back when they did nothing but fight. During their time together, that name had gone from an insult, to their most treasured endearment. The sound of Sanji's voice calling out to him; calling him that name, stirred Zoro's heart and brought his vision back into focus. He still felt like he was slipping into unconsciousness, but at least he could see again.

He looked around, seeing Bones move in for another strike. Luckily, the wound in the larger man's side had slowed him considerably, and Zoro dodged easily. He whirled around and blocked another attack, even as the pain in his arm almost crippled his right side.

_Gotta be careful…_ Zoro thought to himself, _One wrong move and I'm done…_

X x X x X

Not good. Spandam was serious.

Usopp felt his body freeze up. He had experienced paralysis brought on by fear before, but never like this. He was lucky he could still breathe.

The young engineer put up his hands, surrendering. "You can take me; put me back in the van if you want. Just let Chopper go."

Spandam snorted. "Right, and head straight into whatever that fucking pyromaniac Portgus has put together up there. Fuck you."

Usopp was ashamed to feel the pressure of tears. "Please… You can kill me if you want… Just please let Chopper go…"

"Usopp…" Brook whispered.

"Don't even bother," Spandam growled. "My job is to hold you guys until we get the signal. When Roronoa's dead, I'll finish you guys off. _All_ you guys."

Brook shook his head. "Bones will never defeat Zoro."

Spandam laughed. "I know. That asshole's not even half the swordsman that green-haired freak is. We set up an… insurance policy, if you will."

"We know about the bomb, dude," Franky barked. "Not gonna happen. Ace's got that shit."

"Ah, the bomb is just the icing on the cake," Spandum smiled, his teeth flashing like the metal on his face. "You think that would stop Zoro!? Or that fucking cook!? We hit them broadside with a goddamn truck! Smashed them into a wall, and look at them now! Fuck! They're like cockroaches!"

"What are you planning to do to Zoro?" Brook asked carefully.

Grinning, lowering the gun, and stepping out into the crossing zone, Spandam cackled. "It's nothing _I'm_ gonna do. Bones is gonna win this fight because his blade is poisoned. One cut from our guy, and your mutant swordsman is dead in fifteen minutes."

Usopp couldn't stop his outburst. "NO!" he cried. His heart, which was already thumping madly in his throat, crawled up into his mouth. He felt faint at the thought of Zoro dying because of him. What would Chopper say if they got out of this? Devastated would be too kind of a word.

Spandam cackled again. "Oh yes! Right this very minute, Roronoa is no doubt hanging on by his last thread. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"Son of a bitch!" Franky growled.

"You son of a bitch…" Usopp echoed.

"And now..." Spandam raised his pistol, putting Usopp once again in his sights. "For the second half of my job... I think I'll start a little early."

Usopp's world shrunk to just the barrel of the gun. Everything else fell away, leaving him with nothing but that cold piece of metal. He closed his eyes, not wanting that to be the last image in his head before he died.

_Chopper… I'm so sorry…_

The world returned in a screech of tires. Usopp opened his eyes, resisting the urge to cover his ears with his hands. A roaring of an engine echoed through the garage, and all heads turned towards the entrance. A large, Chevy Silverado sped through the gate, breaking the barrier across its grill. It hurled down the drop-off lane at breakneck speed. Spandam's guys had enough sense to jump out of the way, but Spandam was rooted to the spot. The man with the metal face made no move to escape, and watched as the truck sped toward him.

The truck veered to the left, its tires screeching. It slid, knocking Spandam off his feet, and sending him sailing across the pavement. He landed on his side, a little bloody, and groaning in pain, but not dead.

"Usopp!" a frantic, but gentle voice called from the truck, and the engineer looked up to see the last person he ever expected to see.

"K… Kaya?" he choked.

She knelt in the truck's bed, leaning over the side. Her long, beautiful, blonde hair fell in soft curls over her shoulders. Her blue eyes shone with tears as she reached out her hand for him. She was like a goddess—an angel come to save him. He could not believe his eyes; it was like a dream.

"Usopp," Kaya said again. "Come with me. We have to save Zoro!"

X x X x X

Zoro knew sheer willpower was not going to get him through this. His vision was blurred again, and his limbs felt heavy, sluggish, as if he were underwater.

_Don't… let it…_ Zoro gripped Wado in both hands and tried to at least clear his head. _I'm not gonna die here…_

Bones seemed to move faster than before. He ducked, lashing out at Zoro from below. The green-haired swordsman couldn't think of how to block, and felt the sting of another cut across his thigh.

Snarling, the pain bringing a moment of clarity once again, Zoro brought Wado around and cut into the flesh of Bones' shoulder. As the larger man cried out, Wado sang in Zoro's grip as if fueled by their opponent's blood.

X x X x X

Franky laid Chopper in the bed of the truck at Kaya's insistence. She looked him over, frantically taking his pulse and putting her soft hands on whatever skin she could get to. Usopp said nothing as a thin, blond man held the door for Brook and Franky.

"It's good to see you, Pell." Brook tipped his hat as he jumped inside.

"It's good to be seen," Pell replied. "I feel like we're doing the right thing for the first time in forever."

Usopp wasn't sure who the blond was, but he recognized the man behind the wheel. It was the tall, dark-skinned guy he had seen Kaya with. They had been shopping for rings together when Usopp had spotted them from across the mall. He had hid behind a pillar, watching them. They had seemed so happy, so carefree as they browsed the glass cases. He touched her so easily; a hand on her back, a fingertip at her elbow.

The door slammed shut behind Franky, and they started to make their way out of the garage. Usopp sat down, and leaned against the side of the bed. The engineer watched Kaya as she knelt over Chopper, the pieces of his already broken heart aching in his chest. He wanted so desperately to reach out and take her into his arms.

Kaya seemed satisfied with her examination of Chopper and sat back against the side, mere inches from Usopp's trembling hand. She turned her eyes to him and searched his face.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly.

Usopp almost choked. Just the sound of her voice made his heart falter.

"I… uh… Yeah, I'm okay."

She lifted her hand to hold his chin. Her touch was like electricity, and Usopp was sure he could not bear it. She turned his head slowly and her eyes filled with concern.

"You have blood all over you…"

Usopp gently took her hand and placed it in her lap. He smiled softly, even though it hurt to do so.

"It's Chopper's."

She seemed to wither. The light in her eyes died out, and she slouched away from him. She turned her head, busying herself with pulling Ace's coat tighter around Chopper.

"He should be okay… just a little dehydrated." Her voice shook. "He'll probably wake up any minute."

Usopp felt repulsive. Yes, their relationship was over, she was not his anymore, but she had still come to help him. She was there, putting herself in danger for him—for Chopper, and he had nothing to give her but a cold shoulder.

"Kaya," he said, his voice soft, but still audible over the rumble of the truck's engine. "Thank you…"

She turned and looked at him then, her eyes once again shining with tears.

Usopp pressed on. "You didn't have to come… but I'm really glad you're here."

Kaya looked at him for a long moment. She parted her lips to say something, but the truck turned into the club's parking lot, and they were jostled as the vehicle hit a speed bump. Chopper groaned and both Kaya and Usopp were pulled from their moment to help their friend.

"Z… Zoro…" Chopper mumbled as he opened his eyes.

"Chopper!" Usopp leaned forward and brushed the hair from the smaller man's forehead. "Chopper are you okay?"

"Zoro… poisoned…" the doctor mumbled.

"What!?" Kaya exclaimed, turning to Usopp.

The engineer tried to explain. "I guess they're throwing the fight by poisoning Bones' swords. If Zoro's been cut, he has about fifteen minutes."

"How does Chopper know that?" Kaya asked.

Usopp shook his head. "They separated us a few times. Maybe he overheard something."

"Poison…" Chopper mumbled again. "Poison… alcohol…"

Kaya shook her head. "What's he saying?"

"I have no idea," Usopp replied.

The truck doors slammed shut, and Franky and Brook came around the back.

"Come on, bro," Franky said. "We gotta get inside and warn Luffy and the others."

Pell joined Brook and leaned his head over the side to look at Chopper.

"Is he okay?"

"I think--" Kaya started, but was cut off as Chopper sat up abruptly. The little doctor blinked; his eyes wide and wild. He looked around, but seemed to see none of them.

"The poison!" he cried. "The antidote! _I need to get inside!_"

X x X x X

"Sanji," Robin's smooth voice murmured in the cook's ear. "Something is amiss."

"You're damn straight," Sanji said, unmindful that he was talking to a lady. "Something is really fucking amiss. He's getting his ass beat! Look at him! He's bleeding all over the fucking place!"

"I do not believe all of it is his," Robin said coolly.

Sanji rubbed at his temples, wanting to scream at the top of his lungs, but even at the height of frustration, he would not shout at a woman as refined as Robin.

"Your macabre optimism is not helping right now, love," Sanji murmured.

Robin leaned against the railing, pulling out her cell phone. She scrolled through the messages and handed the device over to the cook. "I have just received the most disturbing text from my husband. I thought you should see it."

Sanji took the phone and read the message. It took several moments before the letters on the bright display screen made sense, but when they did, cold, hard dread dropped into the blond's stomach, and his blood turned to ice. Realization washed over him in icy waves, and he turned horrified eyes to Robin's placid face.

"Bones is…" Sanji's voice trailed off.

Robin nodded.

Sanji turned back to the pit, his anger, his fear, and every last bit of the tension that had built up inside of him turned to rage. Burning rage that churned and intensified with every misstep Zoro made. The flame inside him bled out of every pore, over his skin, infecting those standing around him. Eyes turned his direction, but the cook paid them no mind. He felt as if he were on fire. He saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing but his anger at their opponents. His fury at what they were doing to his most important person.

Sanji handed Robin's phone back to her, slowly straightened his shirt, and got his heartbeat under control. He pushed his bangs from his eyes and took a breath.

"They're fucking cheating," he said softly. "I'm done with this bullshit."

X x X x X

There was no stopping Chopper. The little doctor jumped from the bed of the truck and, after staggering a bit, sprinted towards the club entrance. Usopp threw himself from the back as well and ran after him. Brook sighed and took off after them both, calling over his shoulder to Franky and the others that they would take care of Zoro.

"Someone needs to get to Luffy!" Brook shouted as Chopper passed the bouncer, who seemed simultaneously surprised to see him, and very concerned at the same time. "Should probably try and find that Smoker guy as well!" he finished before slipping inside.

"Call Ace!" Usopp called over his shoulder as they pushed their way through the mass of people on the dance floor. "See if he's got anything!"

Brook mumbled apologies as he wove his way through the throng. He was surprised to see so many people upstairs, considering what was happening below, but then again, the fight might be invitation-only. He pulled out his cell and hit send on Ace's number.

"_Yeah!_" Ace's voice answered.

"Okay," Brook shouted into the phone. "An update would be advantageous right about now!"

"_I don't have much else!_" Ace answered. "_But I can tell you the guy is inside the club right now! So at least you don't have to worry about going kaboom at least in the next few minutes!_"

Brook chuckled. "Oh, fantastic."

X x X x X

Zoro blinked and his eyelids felt like lead. He could barely lift Wado past his waist. There was no way he could continue the fight anymore. It was over. He was finished.

He had figured out, finally, that Bones had coated his blade with some kind of drug—possibly a poison. There was no other explanation for his sliding slowly into this strange, almost hypnotic state. It made sense also, with the way his arm was cramping up.

He felt his legs buckle and his knees hit the floor. He hoped at least when they figured out how he died, that Sanji would kill Bones for him. Knowing the cook, he would probably kill him, revive him, and then kill him again. That sounded good. Zoro felt a sense of profound loss as he let his arms fall to his sides. Sanji had remembered many things in the last few hours, and there would still be more memories to come. It was so sad that he wouldn't be around when it happened. He hoped that Chopper and Usopp had been rescued. He had faith in his friends though, Ace would definitely find them and bring them home safe.

He watched as Bones approached, raising his blade over his head in a double-handed grip. He meant to cleave Zoro in two. It was a nasty, bloody finish to Zoro's meager stand against him. The green-haired swordsman straightened as best he could and looked his attacker in the eye. If he was going out, he was going out honorably. He fought for stability and calm through the thick haze of drugs; tried to conjure an inner peace in his last moments…

A flash of blond and a figure in black filled his narrowing field of vision. It came faster than was comprehendible. The blur lashed out with a long leg and caught Bones on the side of his jaw. Bones went sailing across the pit, slamming into the wall almost twenty yards away. The crowd gasped in shock and then went still, waiting for the dust to clear.

The smell of cigarettes and a familiar scent of aftershave made Zoro blink. His vision cleared once again, if only for a moment, but the moment was long enough for Zoro to see the shadow of black and blond was none other than Sanji. The cook stood before him, a cigarette between his lips, and his hands resting comfortably in his pockets.

Bones groaned, pulling himself up slowly to his feet. He looked at Sanji, slowly recognizing him. A sneer pulled at his features as puzzled and angry murmurs started from the crowd.

"You know this disqualifies you guys," he said almost merrily, making his way back across the pit toward the seething cook. "You've dishonored your partner by interfering in the fight."

The crowd grew quiet again as Sanji stood, taking a long drag from his smoke before tossing it to the floor. They waited, the suspense thick in the air as all eyes and ears waited for Sanji's response.

Finally, the cook slipped his hand back into his pocket and let out a breath. "You dishonored yourself when you decided to cheat."

Another outburst from the crowd and Bones' face lost its humor. There was a mixture of booing and cries for blood, and the dark-skinned man growled, lifting his sword once again.

"With this interference, I can legally kill both of you."

Sanji smiled, that malicious smile that Zoro always loved to see, unless of course it was directed at himself. The haze finally clouded Zoro's vision completely, and he felt himself slipping. At the last moment, Zoro heard Sanji's voice one last time, and the green-haired swordsman was satisfied that the cook would take care of things.

A click of a lighter, an inhale…

"Just try it, asshole."

X x X x X

Brook followed Usopp to the underground door. Chopper was nowhere to be seen, but the musician recognized the large man standing guard. The bouncer obviously did not recognize Usopp. The young engineer was frantically explaining who he was, and why they needed entry, but he was not getting through by the looks of it. When Brook approached, he put a hand on Usopp's shoulder. The bouncer looked up at him, and a smile broke out on his face.

"Brook!?" he exclaimed. "What are you doing out here! I thought you'd be inside, watching the fight!"

Brook shrugged, straightening his ruffled collar and placing his cane nonchalantly over his shoulder. "Late. Traffic after tonight's gig was hell."

"Are these guys with you?" the bouncer asked.

"Indeed they are." Brook tipped his hat. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but would you please allow us to pass? We've already missed most of Zoro's fight."

"Hey, no problem." The bouncer moved aside, and opened the door to the basement.

Usopp tried to fly down the stairs, but fortunately, Brook was quick enough to grab the hood on the younger man's sweatshirt. When Usopp struggled, Brook said casually, "I've already lost Chopper. I'm not losing you too."

"What's happening?" Usopp breathed as they neared the crowd that was surrounding the pit.

Brook, being the tallest in the room by far, saw over the head of the eager onlookers, and took in the scene before him. He was surprised to see Sanji in the ring, but under the circumstances, it made sense. Poisoning would be considered cheating, therefore the inhibited fighter should be allowed a substitute. (If he was remembering the quick lesson in rules he had gotten from Ace before they arrived, that is.)

"Sanji has stepped in for Zoro, and I do believe Bones is not appreciative."

"Good," Usopp growled. "Hope he kills that mother-fucker."

Brook nudged Usopp. "Come, let's move forward a bit. I believe I see Robin."

As they made their way towards the railing around the pit, Bones' voice rang out from below.

"This is insane! Why are we letting this fairy-fuck into the fight! The rules are one-on-one, to the death; anything goes, but no outside help!"

"That asshole," Usopp growled. "He's cheating and he's tossing rules around like he follows them!"

When they reached Robin, Brook put a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned slowly, and her eyes widened when she saw who stood before her.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "Usopp! You're all right!"

She gathered him in a tight embrace and whispered how glad she was to see him. Brook cleared his throat and tapped his cane on Usopp's shoulder to get their attention.

"It feels quite appalling to interrupt such a wonderful reunion, but..." Brook gestured towards the pit. "If you would be so kind as to bring us up to speed, love?"

Robin nodded and turned toward the pit, but she kept an arm possessively around Usopp's shoulders.

"I got Franky's message," she explained. "When I showed Sanji, he decided to… well, intervene. I didn't try to stop him, seeing as that would be ineffectual. I believe Bones is now trying to persuade the crowd into calling a disqualification on Zoro's part."

"They can't do that!" Usopp cried. "Bones cheated!"

"I know, Usopp," Robin said gently. "And I am not worried. All will be well, I assure you."

Brook frowned. "How can you know that?"

Robin turned her attention to the VIP section and smiled one of her wise and timeless smiles.

"Because, gentleman. Up there sitting next to our dear friend Luffy, is none other than Ray Silvers. He is the head of everything having to do with organized crime in the Northwest. "

Brook looked to where Robin was motioning, and saw an older man with white hair, and a long scar over his right eye. He wore a grey suit and a pair of glasses you would expect to see on a philosophy professor.

"Apparently," Robin continued, "we have a friend in common. If you look to his left you'll see--"

"Oh my god!" Usopp exclaimed. "It's Shanks!"

Sure enough, as Brook looked to the unassuming figure sitting next to Silvers, he recognized the dark goatee, and the blaze of red hair hidden underneath a black fedora. It was Shanks alright, and much to the musician's amusement, the fact that Shanks was there sitting with one of the most powerful crime bosses this side of the US, didn't really surprise him all that much.

"I'll be damned," Brook murmured.

"Look! Look!" Usopp cried out, pointing frantically across the pit. "That's the head CP9 guy!"

Brook turned and saw Lucci climbing the steps to the platform. The crowd hushed as the formidable figure stood, a small glass of wine held loosely in his hand.

"Ladies and gentleman," Lucci began in a voice that shivers up Brook's spine. "I speak on behalf of the overseers of this match. Due to the cowardly and un-sportsmanlike conduct of the visiting team, Sanji Black will be allowed to fight legally in Zoro Roronoa's stead. But to be as fair as possible—because that's how _we_ do things… Bones, because he has been injured, can tag out to anyone he wishes, at any time. Once tagged, that person will finish the fight, and Bones will not be allowed back in. Does the opposition agree?"

"Agreed!"

A large man with curly, dark hair and a thick beard leaned against the railing grinning at Lucci. He was wearing a red leather jacket, and was missing several teeth. He twirled a small knife in his hand and ran his tongue over his thick lips.

"Sounds good to me," the man sneered. "Let's get it on."

Robin leaned toward Brook and whispered softly to him. "That's Blackbeard."

Brook nodded, having had a pretty good idea who he was already.

Lucci inclined his head to Blackbeard, and stepped down off the platform. The crowd wasted no time, and started to roar. The sound was defeating, but Brook reveled in it. They were cheering for his friend. They were screaming for Sanji.

The announcement had barely been made, the crowd's cries had hardly begun, and there was a loud crack from the pit. Brook's attention shifted and focused on the fight. Scattering bits of tile and concrete flew across the fighting ring, and dust filled the air. Brook watched as Bones began backing away, almost scrambling toward the opposite side, as Sanji came hurling at him. The cook's body twisted, bent, and flipped head over heels in a fluid and unbelievable attack. Hands braced the lithe body, and strong, powerful legs came whirling around, catching the dark-skinned man twice with each heel.

Bones flew to the side; his head and shoulder smashing into the wall directly below where Brook stood. Blood decorated the tiles, running in thick rivulets and mixing with the dirt on the floor. Usopp slipped from Robin's hold and leaned over the railing as Sanji moved to stand over Bones' broken body.

"I should rip you to shreds for what you've done." Sanji was livid; it showed in his eyes. "I'm gonna tear you limb from limb and send your parts home in a box." The cook kicked the sword from the larger man's hand and grabbed his collar. He lifted Bones to a sitting position and brought his face in close to his opponent's. "When I'm done with you, they won't even be able to tell if your remains are human."

Bones started to laugh, and the sound filled Brook with dread.

"Well," the swordsman said, "at least Zoro will be dead too."

The cook's eyes burned. One could see from the way the blue turned almost black, that all rational thought had left Sanji as he lifted Bones, and braced his feet, preparing to smash the larger man into the wall once more.

There was a clang of metal, and a loud boom. Brook looked up to see Blackbeard had climbed over the barrier and jumped into the pit. His grin was wide and the long metal pipe he had in his hand, no doubt belonged to the broken railing above him.

Brook started to panic. Sanji couldn't see what was happening. He was too blinded by fury to look behind him. The musician called out to his friend, but the cook did not hear him over the roar of the crowd. Usopp struggled at his side, trying to climb over the railing, screaming at the top of his lungs for Sanji to turn around.

Blackbeard laughed, closing in fast, his weapon held high and ready to strike.

X x X x X

Ace finished rerouting the backup section of the switchboard and returned his attention to the laptop screen. He typed frantically at the keyboard, getting a series of numbers and codes he did not understand. When he returned to the switchboard, he followed the smallest of the cables to the cluster on the floor. Picking apart the wires, he sorted them mentally by color and size.

He was more experienced with homemade explosives—cans filled with nails and things like that—but he wasn't completely retarded when it came to the high tech stuff. He knew a lot about wiring and circuitry anyway because of his job as Fire Chief.

The laptop to his left started to beep, and Ace slammed his head on the underside of the table in his haste to stand up. He gazed at the readout and watched the video feed, his eyes growing wider by the second.

"Oh shit," he breathed. "Got him…"

**TBC**


	30. Chapter 29, Part 2 End

Here it is! The last part!

I would like to thank all of you who helped me along the way. Everyone that read through when I was freaking out. Everyone that beta'd. Everyone that texted me and wrote me, and dropped me emails asking WHEN THE HALL ARE YOU GOING TO UPDATE!! Also everyone that reviewed. Thank you so much. I always appreciate comments and con/crit. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

There will be an epilogue for all of you that are still wondering about the picture in the lack frame. (And anyone that just didn't get enough ZoSan sex…) xD Look for that sometime next week. Also, for those of you that are really into the Law/Kidd paring, I'm going to do a little side one-shot of them. Too many requests for me not to do it. And lastly: Look for the Memories sequel coming out in the next few months. I feel like I gave Chopper the shaft of the century in this fic, so I'm going to be writing a story from this universe just for him. I am not announcing the paring yet though, just know that it's ??????/Chopper. XD

Anyway, special thanks to my beta Liralen, and please enjoy the last chapter of my excuse to write on a cliché topic. Love you guys. Thanks again! xD

**Chapter 29 (Part 2**

Sanji could feel him coming. Blackbeard no doubt had not waited for the tag in. The cook held Bones against the wall, seething with anger and hatred, but still cognizant to what was happening around him. He felt the energy from Blackbeard's advance, and dropped Bones to the floor. He was done with the swordsman anyway. He looked over his shoulder; the real reason behind all this was coming at him with a long metal pipe.

"SANJI!"

It was Zoro's voice. Sanji ducked, and turned to see Zoro to his left. The green-haired swordsman stood leaning against the wall, blood covered his right side and saturated an entire leg of his jeans. Zoro's eyes were cloudy, but they saw Sanji and he held his gaze. The two shared a moment of perfect understanding. Without words, without gestures, Sanji knew exactly what Zoro wanted from him. He didn't like it, and the cook's heart clenched at the thought of having to choose between the fight and his lover, but he had no time for regret. No time for hesitation. If he didn't win this, they were both dead anyway.

Sanji dropped to the floor, slid between Blackbeard's legs, and reached out his hand as Zoro tossed him Wado. It took everything within Sanji to look away as his lover slid to the floor, finally unconscious as the poison took over.

Wado's hilt was warm and slick from the blood of both swordsmen, but Sanji held her tight. She deserved someone with more talent then he to wield her, but Zoro had entrusted her to him, and he would not shame the exquisite weapon with his doubts.

Blackbeard turned with surprising speed, wound up, and brought the bar down on Sanji. The cook saw the dark metal coming straight for his eyes and lifted Wado to counter, blocking the blow just in time. The clang of metal against folded steel rang out over the screams of the crowd, and sparks flew as Blackbeard pressed in hard.

Sanji pulled together every last bit of strength he had. He roared in the face of his attacker, and brought his leg up. He planted his foot into the larger man's chest and wound his muscles tight.

"Eat shit, you son of a bitch," Sanji snarled.

He kicked, sending Blackbeard up several feet into the air. It gave the cook a moment to regain his footing. He crouched, placing his hands on the floor, and twisted up. His feet connected with the meat of Blackbeard's back, sending him flying and crashing into Bones.

A moment of silence passed as the crowd stared with jaws slack. Sanji breathed deeply, wiping the blood and bits of dirt from Wado's blade. The room exploded, the cheers erupted with such an impact that the walls shook. The crowd chanted his name, Zoro's name, screamed their praises of CP9, and banged in time on the metal railing.

Sanji heard none of it. Heard nothing, and saw nothing but the lifeless form of Zoro, lying a few yards away, his blood pooling beneath him. The cook moved slowly across the dirty tiles, his vision swimming as tears filled his eyes. He knelt beside Zoro, setting Wado down carefully next to her master. He slipped his hand under Zoro's head and lifted the larger man into his arms. He didn't want to lose it in front of the crowd, but his heart was breaking. He didn't care who saw him. He didn't care about anything else at that moment.

"Let me go!" A voice screamed from above him. "Let me go you assholes! The fight is over! Let me down!"

Sanji looked up, his heart skipping as he recognized that voice. As Chopper slid under the railing and dropped down into the pit, Sanji's breath caught at seeing his friend.

"Oh my God," the cook gasped. "Chopper… Chopper, you're okay…"

"Never mind that," his friend said, using his doctor voice. "Turn Zoro so I can get to his wounds. I have about thirty seconds." The younger man ripped open a med pack and shuffled through the contents.

"Where did you get that?" Sanji asked, feeling as if he were in a dream.

"Upstairs," Chopper replied. "I knew I'd need it. I went there first." He stood and lifted his head to call out to the people above them. "Somebody get me a drink! Fast! Something strong! I need alcohol!"

X x X x X

Brook felt a strong hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Franky. The architect moved in close and spoke into the musician's ear.

"What's the status on the explody?"

"It could be any one of Blackbeard's guys," Usopp said frantically. "Now that the fight's over, they could be headed outside right now!"

"Could we pull the fire alarm?" Franky asked.

"That might get people moving." Brook scratched his chin. "But there are only two exits. People won't get out fast enough. Besides," the musician inclined his head towards the pit, "we have three in the ring now that aren't moving until Zoro is serviceable again."

"Well what the hell are we going to do!?" Usopp wailed.

As if summoned, Brook's cell phone rang, and the caller ID read 'Ace'. The musician pressed send and put the phone to his ear. "Ace!" he cried. "Give us something!"

"_Who was Sanji fighting just now!_" Ace's voice came through frantically.

"Blackbeard," Brook answered. "He was fighting Blackbeard."

"_It's him!_" Ace shouted through the receiver. "_It's fucking Blackbeard! The damn boss has got the trigger! The signal's in the same spot as his com!_"

"It's Blackbeard," Brook echoed as he hung up the phone. The musician leaned over the railing, barely noticing as Usopp plowed into him before disappearing. Brook planned on jumping into the pit and tearing Blackbeard's clothes off to find the triggering device, but he stopped, frozen to the spot.

Blackbeard was gone.

X x X x X

Ribs broken, head pounding, skin bruised like a mother-fucking street skank, Blackbeard pushed his way through the crowd too intent on what was happening with the fucking queers to notice he was getting away. He slipped out the fire door, and limped through the parking lot.

He thought about calling Spandam—the little bitch had really fucked up this time. Not only had he _not_ killed the princess' friends, but the fucking baby doctor had gotten away too. You couldn't find good help these days.

He reached the edge of the parking lot, and pulled out his phone. Spandam could fry for all he cared, but he needed a ride.

"_Boss?_" a voice answered.

"Spandam!" Blackbeard roared. "Get your ugly ass down in front of the club! We're blowing the place now!"

"_Ah… but boss,_" the voice mumbled.

Blackbeard frowned. The voice over the phone didn't belong to Spandam. "Who the fuck is this?"

"_It's Morgan, boss,_" the voice answered. "_Those guys came and fucked us up real good. Spandam's been hit. He's alive, but just barely._"

Blackbeard clenched his jaw on the spew of things that wanted to fly out of his mouth. He just needed them to bring the van. He just wanted the long-nosed bitch, those goddamn Portgus brothers, that fucking cook, and the son of a bitch, mutant freak swordsman out of his fucking life. Dead. Dead, dead, dead!

"Get out here in front of the club NOW, or you're fucking dead!" He hung up.

He checked his distance from the club. The guy he had hired to wire the explosives had said he could stand anywhere in this backstreet, and watch the explosion of both the building, and the garage down the street with no worries about being injured. That had been a must. Blackbeard liked witnessing the fruits of his handiwork.

Glancing around one last time, making sure the street was still deserted; he punched the code into his phone, and hovered over the send button.

X x X x X

Brook whirled around, almost slamming into a strange looking man in bright colors and even brighter red hair. "Woa, easy Mr. Musician," he grinned maniacally.

Blinking, confused, Brook froze trying to comprehend why this man was grabbing his arms. He started to struggle, but then realized the red head was just turning him around.

"If you're looking for Blackbeard," another voice said beside him. "He just cockroached out the fire escape."

Brook turned to the second man. He was slim, and dark skinned. He regarded Brook through dark eyes underneath a cow-printed beanie hat.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Franky asked.

"Friends," the red head said simply.

"I'm Law," the second man said. "Let's go before we lose him."

The four pushed their way out of the crowd, and around the pit. The red head reached the door first and pushed the heavy latch, releasing the pin, and slipped out first into the night. The back ally was deserted. Brook didn't know which way to go. Blackbeard could have taken off in either direction.

"Brook, with me," Law said quickly with the ease of someone who commanded many before. "Kidd, take Franky and go around the other way."

Kidd nodded and motioned for Franky to follow him the opposite direction.

Brook turned back to his guide and slung his cane over his shoulder as they ran. "You're the guys from California," he mused out loud.

"Correct," Law said, slowing as they reached the end of the ally. He motioned for Brook to stop, and peered around the side of the building.

"He's crossing the street," Law said over his shoulder. "If he's gonna blow the place like your friend said, he's gonna do it over there where he can see."

"My friend?" Brook asked.

"The blond babe," Law explained. "Came and told us about the bomb and the poison."

"Oh, Kaya?"

Law shook his head. "No, no, that Goth guy."

Brook snickered, shaking his head. "Oh, Pell."

"Hey, you packing?" Law asked as he pulled a nine millimeter from a side holster, hidden under his jacket.

"Actually," Brook reached behind to retrieve the weapon he had taken from Ace… but stopped when he found it was missing. How does a gun go missing? Did it fall out of his pants? There was no way; he would have felt it… But the simple fact was that the pistol was gone, and he had no idea what had happened. Had he dreamed that he had taken it from Ace?

"Actually, no." The musician straightened. "I'm not."

"It's okay," Law said. "Just stay close."

Brook nodded, and followed the slender man around the corner and into the parking lot.

X x X x X

Usopp's legs burned as he sprinted down the hall and zigzagged through the people on the dance floor. He spotted the stairs to the upstairs offices, and ducked under a tall man carrying drinks. He pushed through a group of laughing girls, and vaulted over the railing.

Taking the steps two at a time, he prayed the offices were deserted, and that he wasn't out of time.

X x X x X

"Blackbeard!" Law called out as he and Brook made their way across the lot. "Drop the cell phone!"

Blackbeard turned, grinning when he saw who approached.

"Well, well," he called out over the sea of cars. "If it isn't the cook's right hand fuck buddy. Send you to do his dirty work?"

Law grinned, keeping the gun trained on the larger man. "It looks like he did some pretty nice dirty work on you all by himself!"

Blackbeard seemed to lose some of his humor, and Brook made a sound at Law's side.

"Maybe we shouldn't antagonize him, brother," the musician said, matter-of-factly. The guy was funny.

"Come on, man!" Law called out. "You blow the club and I'll shoot you dead right here! Just give it up and we'll all walk away from this!"

Blackbeard cackled, tossing his head back. "You can't kill me from there! Besides, I know what you are, you fucking pig!" The large man held up the phone. "You think you can make that shot count from all the way over there!?"

"Shit," Law murmured. "He's right. I don't know if I can hit him from here. Not with a pistol. I can't guarantee I'll be able to stop him from pressing the button."

"Keep him talking then?" Brook suggested. "Maybe we can get closer."

"Don't know." Law shook his head. He started moving slowly between the rows of cars. "Bad dudes don't really monologue like they do in movies."

Blackbeard reached back into his jacket with his free hand. He pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Law. "Not so fast," he barked. "Take another step and I'll take you out."

Law stopped. He considered taking the shot even across the distance, but he couldn't gamble on it when he wasn't sure he could make it.

"You're outnumbered, Blackbeard!" Law shouted.

"I suggest we split up," Brook whispered. "He can't train on us both at the same time."

"Okay, just hop over to the next lane." Law glanced at him out the corner of his eye. "And for Christ sake, don't get yourself killed. I kinda like those Portgus brothers."

"Doesn't everyone?" Brook tipped his hat, and broke away at a surprisingly quick sprint.

Law dove into the row of cars. Shots rang out over his head. It sounded like one weapon at first, but then there were multiple shots echoing across the parking lot. This wasn't good. Curious patrons from the club were going to trickle outside at any moment.

"Morgan!" Blackbeard shouted. "'Bout fucking time you got here!"

Great, there was another gun.

Law chanced a quick look across the street and saw Blackbeard moving toward a dark Sudan. A blond man leaned out the driver's side window, keeping his gun on the parking lot.

Shit. They were going to get away. There was nothing Law could do. Once Blackbeard got into that car, it was all over. He'd blow the club and watch it burn in his rearview.

There was a loud crack, and the phone exploded in Blackbeard's hand. The large man stood, his hand frozen in the act of reaching for the car door, shocked as blood ran from the place where two of his fingers had once been.

"What the fuck?" Law said aloud. What happened? Had someone actually made the shot? Had Kidd taken it? Where was he?

Blackbeard howled, clutching at his hand. He ducked behind the car, screaming at his driver.

"Son of a bitch! Where'd that come from!?"

"I don't know, boss!"

Law turned, an idea tickling at the back of his brain. He looked up at the club's second story windows. Sure enough, propped up on one of the sills, was a figure holding a pistol steadily in a relaxed two-handed grip.

It was the long-nosed guy… What was his name? Usopp, they had called him. Weird name, but _damn_ that guy could shoot. Granted he had the advantage of an overhead view, but the distance was still formidable.

The guy was a fucking _sniper_.

Unfortunately, Blackbeard had spotted him too.

"You son of a…" Blackbeard gritted his teeth, pain no doubt coming in sharp and clear. "You're the fucking guy that started all of this! If you had just let it alone and not insisted on digging into your slut girlfriend's family affairs, we wouldn't be in this shit-storm! _I should have just started with killing you and then I wouldn't have had to deal with your pillow-biting, shit-eating friends!!_"

Law turned back to the street, aiming his gun over the hood of a car.

"I'm putting hits out on everyone you've ever known!" Blackbeard continued. "Your family, your friends, your fucking dog! I'll make sure that you, your little fag doctor, and your little blonde princess never have a decent night's sleep ever again!"

"Boss!" Morgan cried. "Get in!"

"Shut the fuck up M-"

There was an explosion. Law ducked, getting low to the ground and covering his head. At first he thought that even though the trigger had been destroyed, Blackbeard had somehow managed to detonate the device with nothing but pure rage. But then he realized the sound had come from across the street. He straightened, looking out over the car, and saw the garage was ablaze.

"ACE!!" Brook screamed from several yards away.

Law knew the older Portgus was probably done for, but at the moment he was more worried about what had happened to Blackbeard. The dark-skinned man stood, watching the area around the car for signs of the large mobster. Where had he gone? Had he been knocked unconscious by the blast?

As Law stood and made his way down through the rows of cars, he saw Brook racing toward the street, blindly running toward the garage.

"Brook, wait!" Law called out.

"It's okay!" A voice shouted from a few rows down.

Law turned and saw Kidd heading towards him. Franky had broken off from the red head and was following the musician towards the garage.

"They're running straight at Blackbeard!" Law cried. "Where the hell did--"

"He's dead," Kidd interrupted. When he came close, he gently brushed something from Law's jacket. "Guy in the car too."

Law pulled his gaze from Kidd's relieved eyes and looked back to the street at the idling car. He made his way across the parking lot, and slowed when he saw the lifeless body lying in the street. Blood pooled around the large man's head. There was no mistaking Blackbeard was gone.

"You do this?" Law asked Kidd, raising an eyebrow.

Kidd shook his head, turning his eyes towards the club's second story window. "Guy's insane. I couldn't have made that shot in a million years.

Law nodded, letting out a breath. "Let's get it cleaned up. We got about a minute before every cop in the city descends."

Kidd nodded, moving to help shove Blackbeard in the trunk. It was kind of crude, but it was classic.

X x X x X

Chopper stood, wiping the blood from his hands on his already dirty jeans. He smiled as Sanji murmured something softly into Zoro's ear, and the swordsman's lips turned up at the corners. The little doctor turned and moved through the small crowd that had gathered in the pit. Hands clapped him on the back as he headed towards the ladder. A few people stopped him to shake his hand. Chopper took the praise with a heated blush and mumbled thank you's.

Luckly, the poison Spandam's men had forced him to make was easily countered. A mixture of alcohol and saline directly into the blood slowed the deterioration of white blood cells. Zoro was not out of harm's way completely, but he was safe for now. They just needed to get him to the hospital within the next few days.

He climbed the ladder, and realized he was still had Ace's coat. Heading for the stairs, he planned on running back across the street to see if the older Portgus brother was okay, and to thank him for rescuing him and Usopp.

"Chopper!" A voice called for him before he reached the stairs.

He turned and saw Nami, Luffy, and Vivi running towards him. He braced himself, having forgotten that he still hadn't seen people since his return. After a few crushing hugs, Chopper was bombarded with questions. He answered as best he could, but then Nami noticed how worn out he was and shut Luffy up with a hand over his mouth.

"We have some smoothing over to do," she explained. "We'll leave you to whatever you were doing."

Chopper nodded, grateful, and headed upstairs.

Pandemonium reigned upstairs. There were police officers and several firemen at the entrance asking questions. People stood in groups, whispering and murmuring amongst themselves. Chopper stood frozen, trying to figure out what had happened, when a strong hand came down on his shoulder. The doctor startled, looking up at the imposing figure glaring down at him.

"You Chopper?" the man asked. He was thickly muscled, with grey hair and a scowl that seemed to be the natural set to his face. An unlit cigar hung from between his teeth.

"I uh…" Chopper stammered. "Yes?"

Despite the harshness of his face, the man had kind eyes. "I suggest you get upstairs, it's gonna get a little thick down here, and there's only so much smoothing over I can do."

Confused, Chopper nodded, not wanting to argue with someone so menacing, no matter how nice his eyes looked. He turned, starting for the stairs, but was stopped again by the grey-haired man's voice.

"I heard about what you did," the man said softly. "That was really something you did for Zoro…"

Chopper felt the familiar wobble in his stomach when people said nice things about him. He felt all gooey and waved the compliment off.

"I…I…" he stammered. "It was nothing…"

He turned and made for the stairs before he could be praised again. As he climbed, he heard a commotion at the entrance, and looked to see Ace push through the two uniformed men and scan the crowd. Chopper did a double take of his friend. Was he… smoldering?

"Smoker!" Ace called, making his way over to the large, grey-haired man. "Where's Zoro? What happened? Brook and Franky were talking all at once, and Law drove off before I could ask what happened, and _I can't hear a goddamn thing!_"

Chopper decided to retreat, and scurried up the stairs. He slipped into the office and closed the door behind him.

The click of the door startled a figure sitting behind the desk, and Chopper was stunned to be looking into the wide and terrified eyes of his best friend.

"Usopp!" Chopper cried. "What are you doing up here?"

Usopp seemed to fumble for words before he responded. "Just staying out of the way..."

"Oh." The doctor nodded. "That's what I'm doing… Can I sit with you?"

"Of course," Usopp said quietly.

Chopper crossed the room and flopped down on the floor next to the engineer. He sighed and rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes. "They find the bomb?"

"Oh yeah." Usopp nodded. "I overheard that detective talking. He's got some guys looking at it. Good thing Ace found the trigger, or we'd all be singing hymns in heaven right now."

Chopper studied his friend. He seemed older than he had the last time he had looked at him.

"Who had it?" Chopper asked quietly. "The trigger, I mean."

Usopp closed his eyes, swallowing thickly. "Blackbeard."

An uncomfortable silence passed between them. Chopper wanted to ask what was eating his friend, but he thought may now was not the right time. Instead he changed the subject.

"So, what's happening to all of us?" he asked. "We're all part of it, aren't the police going to ask us questions and stuff?"

Usopp shook his head. "There's nothing really to ask questions about except the explosion, and I'm sure Ace has got that. I bet he set it off on purpose to distract the cops attention from the club."

"Explosion!?" Chopper squeaked.

Usopp shook his head. "The van we were in…"

Chopper rubbed the back of his neck. "Jesus…"

Usopp ran his hands through his hair, resting his elbows on his knees. Chopper watched his friend slowly cave in on himself. He knew this whole thing had been hard on the young engineer, but there was obviously something else. He wanted desperately to tell Usopp about Pell and Chaka, knowing that would probably perk him up, but he knew it would be more effective coming from someone else's lips.

"You should go find Kaya," Chopper said softly. "You guys should talk."

Usopp shook his head. "She's probably with what's his name…"

"She's not," Chopper said firmly. "She's probably looking for you."

Usopp chuckled without any humor. "Right, looking for me. I'm sure."

Chopper leaned in close, speaking softly into Usopp's ear. "That's right. She came here for you. She wanted to save _you_. The least you could do is go find her and talk to her since she risked her life and all."

The engineer's watery eyes turned to look at him then. He folded his arms over his chest and took a breath.

"I'm not…"

Chopper glared at his best friend. "Not what?"

Just then, the door opened, and both their heads turned at the sound. A pale face under long blonde hair peeked around the door. Usopp's breath caught, and he seemed to curl into himself even tighter.

Kaya saw them, and stepped inside. She folded her hands over her stomach, and nervously chewed on her lower lip.

"Usopp…" she said softly. "Are you… all right?"

Usopp looked at her for a moment before he nodded.

Kaya shuffled her feet and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Can… Can we talk? I have some things I have to tell you."

Usopp stared at her, seemingly frozen in place for several long moments. Chopper finally nudged him, and the engineer nodded, pulling himself to his feet. Chopper followed suit and stepped around the desk. When Kaya beckoned to him, the little doctor came close and embraced her tightly.

"He'll be okay," Chopper whispered. "Just tell him everything."

Kaya nodded and moved away to join Usopp on the love seat.

When he reached the door, Chopper looked back to see Usopp tense as Kaya put her hand over his. The engineer looked ready to fall apart, but when the first words out of Kaya's mouth were a sweet endearment, Usopp's walls collapsed and he burst into tears. Hiding his face with his hands, he let himself be pulled into Kaya's arms, and he melted into her embrace.

Chopper closed the door behind him and descended part of the way down the staircase. He slid to a seated position, rubbed his eyes again and rested his head on his knees. Alone on the stairs, leaning against the railing, he wished he could just go and sleep. His head hurt, his back and his thighs were sore, and his jaw ached from clenching his teeth in the dark for two days.

He was about to just nod off right there, but a presence near his right side alerted him. He turned, and saw one of the most frightening-looking men he had ever seen in his life. His hair was blazing red, his clothes were blindingly colorful, and the fanatical look in his eyes made it obvious that this man was slightly unhinged.

Chopper tensed, his eyes widening as the man tilted his head to the side. The motion was slow and unthreatening, but the cockeyed angle he was now regarding Chopper with, made him seem even more unreal. Now he was _off balance_ and slightly unhinged.

The little doctor got ready to run as the man slipped his hand inside his jacket. But all he retrieved from that hidden pocket was a small pack of moist towelettes. He held the pack up to Chopper, who took them out of fear the he might be killed if he didn't.

"Uh… thank you?" he squeaked.

The man lifted a cigarette to his lips. "You got blood on you." His voice was nice. It was soft, gentle even. Despite his looks, the man might be all right.

The first touches of the cool napkin felt so good on Chopper's skin he almost started crying. He cleaned his face with the first wipe, mindful of the cut above his eyebrow, and then used three more on his hands. He wondered if he would ever get the blood out from underneath his nails.

"You're that doctor," the red head stated, puffing again on the cigarette.

Chopper nodded, chancing a glance at the strange man once again. "Do I know you?"

The red head looked at him. "We have mutual friends," he said softly.

"Oh," Chopper continued cleaning underneath his nails. He had no doubt who those 'mutual friends' might be.

"Your long-nosed friend okay?" the man asked.

Chopper nodded, happy for his friend, but wanting to leave it at that.

"He's making his peace right now…"

Inhale, exhale. "And you? Are you making your peace right now?"

Chopper scoffed. "Why do you say that?"

"You have that _look_."

Chopper looked up at the colorful figure. This time, he didn't scare him quite so much. "What _look_?"

"That _letting go_ look." The man finished his smoke and crushed it between his fingertips before dropping it into a nearby unfinished drink.

Sighing softly, Chopper slid his arms into Ace's jacket. He might as well wear it if he was going to just carry it around. He leaned against the railing and looked down at his new acquaintance. His first impression had been way off. This guy was actually really sweet, and very intuitive. Chopper hoped that whatever was on this man's mind would work itself out.

"You seem to know a lot," the doctor murmured.

The man shook his head. "No… I don't know anything." He pushed off the railing and saluted Chopper with a wave of his hand. "I'm not as smart as you, 'cause I'm never letting go."

Watching him go, Chopper smiled to himself. Good for him. The little doctor waved, even though he knew the man would not see it. He watched the red head slip out the front, the uniformed officers taking no notice of him, and disappear into the night.

X x X x X

The medication was working wonders. Zoro felt almost nothing but Sanji's hand around his. His vision was still fuzzy, but it was from the good drugs, not the bad. At least, that's what he hoped. He felt the soft but firm padding of a stretcher against his back. Funny that he knew the feeling so well; he really should stop getting himself hurt all the time.

He was jostled, and hoisted up into the back of what Zoro assumed was an ambulance. Ambulance? Really? Come on now, he wasn't hurt _that_ bad. He just needed some sleep… and some more blood maybe…

There was a commotion.

"… don't care if you are, only family rides with us. We're packed and we're not taking another person unless they're a guardian, power of attorney, or some-"

"Listen here." Sanji's voice rang out clear as a bell. "You can say I'm his brother, his son, father—you can even say I'm his fucking transsexual _wife!_ I don't care! But you're gonna let me in the back of that ambulance right now, or I'm gonna shove my foot so far up your ass, that--"

"Woah! Okay, man, okay! Calm down. We get it. Get up here."

Zoro grinned. This third voice was smart. Don't piss off Sanji; you'll end up worse than the green-haired guy in the back.

He felt Sanji's hand on his again, and the cook's warm breath puffed against his cheek as the doors slammed and the ambulance started moving.

"We really gotta stop doing this," Sanji murmured in his ear. "What's this, the third time in the back of an ambulance?"

"Fourth," Zoro mumbled.

Cool fingers traced his cheek and Zoro relaxed completely.

"I thought you were dead…" Sanji said softly.

Zoro cracked an eye open to see the cook watching him with red-rimmed eyes. He wanted to reach up and brush the sweaty bangs from his lover's eyes, but his arms refused to move.

"Hell of a day," he said softly.

Sanji snickered. "Hell of a couple years."

Zoro started to laugh, but winced when a sharp pain shot up his side. He grumbled and turned his head, whispering softly so that no one else could hear. "Hey, Sanji…"

Sanji came closer and ran his hand over Zoro's hair. "Hm?"

The swordsman blinked his lover into focus. He lost himself in those blue eyes like he had been aching to do since the fight had started.

"I love you."

Sanji smiled and gently pressed his lips to Zoro's. He pulled away slowly and brushed his nose against the swordsman's playfully.

"I know… I remember."

**END**


	31. Epilogue

Here is the epilogue I promised. xD Hope you all enjoy. Thanks again for all the reviews and comments! I can't believe this is finally done! Gyaaahhh! Thank you to Liralen for the beta! xD

**Epilogue**

Sanji leaned against the railing, his arms folded lazily across his chest and his hip cocked out to the side. He slid a hand into the inside pocket of his new Giorgio Armani, and pulled out a pack of his own, hand-rolled smokes. He wondered for the hundredth time if the jacket had been a little over the top, but then again he remembered that it was angle-zipped, made in Italy, and _sexy_.

Earlier that morning, Sanji had tried not to drool into the phone as he stared at the dark viscose still carefully packaged inside the shipping box. "Don't think me ungrateful or anything, but I thought we didn't have any money."

Zoro had just chuckled softly and yawned. "You have any idea how much we made on the Bones and Blackbeard fight?"

"I would if I knew what bank we used," Sanji muttered. "How'd you know I wanted this?"

Zoro chuckled again, and Sanji heard the sounds of shifting under sheets and pillows. "You left the window open on the laptop when you left last week. I thought you'd look a hell of a lot better in the jacket then the model did."

Sanji felt his insides go gooey. "Shut up, I do not."

"Oh, okay, Chopper," Zoro snickered. "Come over right now and parade around my hospital room."

"I don't parade around."

"Okay, strut," Zoro amended. "Whatever. You spend seventy dollars on choice meats, I get to buy you clothes, and sunglasses, and cars, and shit."

Sanji chuckled again. "You're just trying to score points."

"Damn straight." Zoro yawned and his voice muffled when he continued. "It's so fucking early. How do you get up when it's still dark? Are you coming by after work?"

The flip of conversation topics made Sanji want to laugh, but Zoro continued as if they had not just been discussing him spending fifteen hundred dollars on a piece of clothing. "If we can sign me out right at midnight, I can make Luffy's fight."

"Hell no!" Sanji stood, placing the box on the coffee table delicately. "You're coming straight home, eating some real food, and then going to bed! You haven't slept for more than an hour or two at a time in that fucking place!"

"But I wanted—"

"No discussion!"

Silence rang on the other end of the line, but Sanji could feel the swordsman's smile. "Okay."

The cook was jolted back into the present as Kaku slid up beside him. He placed his hands on the railing and watched the fight going on in the pit below. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched Jayabura slam his opponent to the floor. The crowd cheered around them, and the boss turned his gaze to Sanji.

"Zoro gets out tomorrow," he stated.

Sanji nodded. "He's up, packed, and ready to sign out _one minute_ after midnight."

Kaku chuckled. "Three weeks in the hospital must have been hell for him. How'd you folks get him to stay? I 'spected him to bust out."

Sanji shrugged. "Chopper."

"Ah…" Kaku nodded, turning back to the fight. The long-nosed man rested his elbows on the railing and threaded his fingers together. "So, I have one question after all this..."

Taking a slow drag on the cigarette, Sanji waited patiently.

"Having been witness to Li'l Portgus and his… enthusiasm over fights… How'd ya get him to sit in his chair so quiet like? I mean, he watched this whole damn thing go down and never moved a muscle."

Sanji took another long drag and turned his body to lean back against the railing.

"Shanks," he said simply. "He got Luffy to back down completely. All he said was something about 'it's not your time' or some shit like that."

Kaku nodded; his features tight. The cook could tell that was not all his friend wanted to say. Kaku's manner was usually so relaxed it bordered on passivism. Sanji blew out another thin stream of smoke and waited for the other man to speak.

"So," Kaku sighed. "You guys heading back to Cali? 'Cause we'd like… I don't mind… if ya'll stay…"

Sanji smiled. He straightened and clapped Kaku on the shoulder.

"Kaku, I have a restaurant to reopen. We're not going anywhere."

The long-nosed man physically relaxed. He straightened as well, and pulled his cap down over his eyes. The whites of his teeth flashed as he turned towards the cook.

"Good, 'cause I'd hate to see Luffy lose and then have to go crawling back to L.A. Don't wanna see the poor kid's ego crushed like that."

Sanji grinned, and offered a hand to his friend. The cook placed his cigarette between his teeth as they shook.

"Eh, I'm not worried. Luffy won't lose."

X x X x X

Zoro dropped his bag in the entryway and shrugged out of his jacket. He tossed the leather over the back of a chair and inhaled deeply. No sterile smells of hospital disinfectants; no faded yellow walls; no goddamned nurses pinching and poking and prodding him every minute.

God, it was good to be home.

He turned to Sanji, who was leaning against the door in his new jacket, looking every bit the Armani cover model.

"What'd you make me?" Zoro grinned.

Sanji smiled back, slipping his hands into his jean pockets. "Just some zha jiang mian. I thought you might like some beef that was fresh and had some… flavor."

"Hell yeah, I would." Zoro pulled his sweater over his head and padded down the hallway towards the bedroom. "Lemme put some underwear on first, though."

He heard Sanji snicker behind him. "Who needs underwear?"

Zoro loosened his belt and pulled it free of the belt loops. The piece fell to the floor with a soft clang. Pulling the t-shirt over his head, he moved to the dresser and pulled open several drawers. He stopped when he heard the door shut, and turned to see Sanji, leaning against the door frame and watching him through a curtain of blond hair.

Feeling a familiar warmth in his stomach and a stirring in his loins, Zoro turned around fully and leaned against the dresser. Sanji had that _look_. His tongue wet his lips slowly, and his head tilted lazily as his eyes burned like cold fire. Zoro's mouth started to water as the cook reached up slowly to unzip his jacket.

Saying nothing, but pushing away from the door frame and moving slowly through the room, Sanji kicked his shoes off and stepped barefoot across the carpet. He let the jacket fall off his shoulders, catching it deftly with agile fingers. He reached around Zoro to lay it gently on the dresser and rested his hands on the polished wood on either side of the swordsman's hips. The cook's breath, a pleasant mixture of mint and the tobacco from his last cigarette, danced across Zoro's lips as Sanji invaded his space. The swordsman was hungrier now than before, but it was a different sort of craving. He smiled and murmured softly.

"I have this feeling that you want something."

Sanji returned the smile and ghosted his lips over Zoro's eyelids. "I have to reheat dinner. I thought you might like an appetizer while we waited."

Zoro hummed and leaned forward to press his lips softly against the edge of Sanji's jaw.

"Sounds good. What kind of appetizer?"

Sanji's hands left the dresser and moved up the swordsman's sides; slowly across his chest and over the gnarled flesh of his scar. The blond's capable fingers slid past Zoro's collar and jaw, slipping into the coarse, green hair at the back of his neck. He breathed in Zoro's scent and whispered almost inaudibly.

"Me."

Zoro made a low noise in the back of his throat. He reached out and pulled Sanji's hips against his. He surged forward, aching for Sanji's lips and sliding his tongue into his lover's welcoming mouth. He felt the cook's arms wrap around his neck, and he wasted no time in finding Sanji's belt and fumbling the clasp open. The cook's jeans were tight, (there was really no need for a belt whatsoever) and it was quite a turn on for the swordsman to have to work at sliding the denim down muscled thighs. His fingers took in the exquisite sensation of Sanji's skin as it was revealed inch by glorious inch.

He felt himself being pulled across the carpet. The cook's hands turned him around and pushed him, not so gently, onto the bed. As Zoro started to regain some of his senses, he froze as Sanji climbed over him, and settled with a powerful leg on each side of Zoro's hips. Sanji arched, and his erection throbbed hot and hard against Zoro's stomach as he slid agonizingly slow onto the swordsman's lap. Zoro groaned and looked up into the cook's eyes. His lover was breathing heavily, and the swordsman could feel the blond's heart thumping in his chest. Zoro had no doubt his own heart was pounding just as hard, and just as fast.

He pulled the cook closer and kissed him deeply as Sanji's hands found his. Zoro's breath caught when Sanji guided his touch to his cock, wrapping the swordsman's fingers around the long shaft. Zoro pulled away slightly to watch their hands stroke the cook's length together. Sanji's breath came quicker; soft, short pants in time with Zoro's caresses. He let his head fall back as Zoro's thumb ran over the wet tip, smearing precum and mixing sweat with sweat.

"Oh God, Zoro…" Sanji panted. "Ah… Zoro, it feels so good…"

Zoro pulled Sanji back to him so he could again meet the cook's eyes. He felt heady, drunk on Sanji and his body; his smell; the feel of the blond's skin sliding over his. He grunted softly as a particularly hard thrust from Sanji's hips, ground against his member straining inside the confines of his jeans.

"Sanji…" he growled. "I want you so bad…"

Sanji's hands went to Zoro's cheeks. The cook's scorching lips found his and the swordsman groaned again, this time muffled by Sanji's frantic kisses.

"You have me," Sanji gasped. "You have me, Zoro… "

Zoro reached under the pillows, grabbing the nearly empty bottle of lotion as Sanji undid his button and fly. He lifted his hips so the cook could pull his jeans down far enough to free his cock. It throbbed in Sanji's hand. The blond's fingers showed no mercy as he stroked Zoro with quick, eager movements.

Zoro gasped, catching himself before he started to beg. "Wait… wait…" He removed Sanji's fingers and poured a few drops of the lotion into his hand. He slicked himself, looking up at Sanji's flushed face. Tossing the bottle away, he grabbed Sanji's hip with his free hand, and held his breath as the cook rose up on his knees.

Sanji's eyes never left his. They shared the most intimate of moments as Sanji lowered himself leisurely onto Zoro's length. Their breath, their heartbeats, their very souls were attuned. They were as one as any two beings could be as Sanji slid slowly down, his mouth falling open at the feeling of Zoro filling him completely. The swordsman shuddered as broken breath escaped his lungs.

Sanji's fingers returned to the hair at the back of Zoro's head. He twisted his grip, pulling gently, tilting Zoro's chin back as he leaned forward over the larger man.

"Ah…" The swordsman felt him shaking. "I love you Zoro… I love you…"

Zoro still could not speak, an impasse only exacerbated as Sanji lifted his hips and slid back down his length, so slow it was almost painful. Zoro was lost; bent to Sanji's will. The cook had him wrapped around his fingers and molded into submission with just the look in his eyes. Those words tumbling from his lips made the swordsman's heart beat for a single purpose, and that was Sanji. In this moment, there was no greatest swordsman. There were no tournaments. There was no world outside this room. Everything was Sanji, and Sanji was everything to Zoro.

"I love you too." Zoro choked out. "I love you so much, Sanji…"

Zoro could not tear his eyes from the muscles rolling through the cook's torso. Every bit of Sanji's body flexed and waned as the blond moved over him. His lover's hips pulled up and back, only to push back down with a force Zoro knew only he could take. He lost his words again, and Sanji rode him hard. The cook's voice was soft and breathless. Endearments artfully mixed with curses flowed from his lips, shattering Zoro's control, and sending shivers of white hot pleasure shooting down the swordsman's spine.

Tension coiled in Zoro's loins, and the swordsman knew he was close. He moved both hands to grip Sanji's muscled hips. The pleasure built and built, and the pressure became almost excruciating. Sanji's blunt nails dug into his neck and chest. The cook's cries punctuated every thrust, every slap of skin against skin. The swordsman could hold it in no longer and pulled his lover against him tightly as orgasm ripped through him. He pulsed inside Sanji's body as the cook continued to move. Zoro growled and cursed into Sanji's neck, unmindful of the skin between his teeth.

When his vision returned, Sanji was brushing sweat from the larger man's brow, and watching Zoro's eyes with a heavily-lidded gaze. The cook's fingers felt good across his forehead, and Zoro wanted to spend a moment in this haze of post-pleasure, but there were other—more important things to take care of.

Gripping Sanji's thighs, he flipped them over, and pulled his softening member carefully out of the cook. Sanji gasped, but seeming to know what was next, he fisted his hands in the comforter above his head, and hooked a long, supple leg around Zoro's shoulder.

Zoro kissed down Sanji's torso, licking a trail to the cook's swollen length. He took the cock in his hand, stroking hard and fast before taking it into his mouth.

Sanji made a choking noise, and arched off the bed.

"F-_fuck!_" he cried. "Shhh… shit… _Shit!_"

Zoro stroked with his hand, and slid his lips down until his nose was buried in coarse, blond curls. He ran his tongue over the tightly stretched skin, and felt the first tell-tale pulse. Sanji's fingers pulled ruthlessly at his hair, and Zoro hummed as he savored the warm splashes of cum at the back of his throat.

"Aahh, Zoro… Zoro… Zoro…" Sanji chanted breathlessly as the swordsman sucked him.

Zoro drank Sanji down, and kissed the sensitive flesh before crawling up the cook's body. He left kisses and short nibbles in all his favorite places. Zoro's arms shook as he pulled his jeans off and lowered himself to lie upon Sanji's heated skin. The cook held him tight, his breath puffing heavily against his cheek. His shoulders and arms trembled as they wrapped around Zoro's neck, and the swordsman kissed him wherever he could reach.

They lay quietly until their breath returned to normal. The sweat from their skin began to cool, leaving them pleasantly sticky, not unlike after a match. Zoro felt himself drifting off, never happier than he was at that moment, he was sure.

"Zoro…" Sanji whispered.

"Hm?" Zoro replied.

Sanji took a moment before continuing. "Is this it? Are we back to normal?"

Zoro smiled, bones like putty, and his mind set adrift. "Almost…"

Sanji shifted underneath him. "Almost?"

Zoro nodded. "Almost. There's one more thing before we're completely back to the way it was."

When Zoro didn't continue, Sanji ran his hands down the swordsman's back, and slid a leg along the larger man's thigh. "Well?"

Zoro shook his head.

"Trust me, just wait. It'll happen. I got it all planned out… again…"

If Sanji was curious about it, he didn't say anything, and for that Zoro was grateful. It was obvious the cook was either remembering more about him, or he was learning fast. At that moment, all that the swordsman wanted, was to hold his love, and fall away into a sleep not plagued by dreams of car crashes and beeping monitors. Here in Sanji's arms, he would dream of life, good food, love, and a future full of memories to make up for ones lost.

_**Three months later…**_

"Holy shit." Sanji grinned, his teeth clamped around a cigarette, "I'm actually shaking."

Nami smiled behind the rim of her Champaign glass. She moved close and ran her hand down his arm. "I can't even imagine what this moment is like for you, Sanji."

"_I_ can't even imagine what this moment is like!" Sanji laughed, "I can't even think!"

Sanji's hair blew gently in the evening breeze. Associates, business partners, friends, family, (and even a few shady characters in beanie hats and fur coats) filled the first floor of the restaurant and front courtyard where he and Nami stood. A jazz trio, led by Brook, played inside and their melodic and upbeat tones danced over Sanji's skin, giving the air a sophisticated, yet relaxing atmosphere. Sanji sighed and gave the place another once over, loving the finished product from all of his hard work.

Sanji was dizzy. He had dreamed of this since he was seven, and now it was a reality. The cerulean carpeting, the pillars of marble, the expansive fish tanks filled with exotic fish and tropical plants in hues of green and blue. There was nothing else to be done. The menu was his, the staff was trained personally by none other than Sanji himself, and the money was already pouring in so fast that the Food Network was already talking to the cook about contracts.

Life was perfect…

Sanji startled as hands slid around his waist. Strong fingers pulled him close, and a hard body pressed up against his back. Warm breath caressed the back of his neck, and a deep voice purred in his ear.

"You're fucking glowing."

Sanji plucked the cigarette from his mouth, and turned his head to look into dark eyes. Zoro smiled at him softly from over his shoulder, and the cook tilted his head to press a soft kiss against the swordsman's lips.

"I still can't believe this is happening."

Zoro nuzzled against his jaw. "You're beautiful..."

Sanji's heart fluttered and he placed his hand over Zoro's. "Stop, or I'm gonna freak out for real."

Zoro chuckled, nuzzling again and kissing the cook's nose.

"We're dropping the curtain in a few minutes," Zoro whispered. "I gotta go upstairs."

Sanji nodded and slipped out from the swordsman's hold. "Love you. I'll see you in a bit."

Zoro kissed him quickly on the lips, and brushed the backs of his fingers against Sanji's cheek. "Love you too."

Sanji turned to watch him go, his black slacks fitting just right over the curves of his ass and thighs. He looked amazing, but as much as Sanji liked it when his lover dressed up, he couldn't wait to get him home, out of his button up and vest, and back into sweats and a t-shirt.

Or perhaps nothing at all…

"Hey, Sanji!"

Sanji turned, hoping he hadn't just been standing there with his mouth hanging open. "What's up, Ace?"

The older Portgus grinned and clapped him on the back. "Nervous?"

Sanji shook his head and took a long drag.

"Zoro just went upstairs with Luffy. Viv's gonna announce the unveiling in like, a minute."

Sanji chuckled, scratching at his chin. "Okay, I'm a little nervous."

Ace laughed and turned, as Vivi's voice called over the PA system for everyone to congregate outside. Sanji suddenly found himself surrounded by smiles and familiar, happy faces. Chopper slipped his arm through the cook's, looking like he was holding back tears. Kaya and Usopp stood on his other side, holding hands and smiling at him. Franky gave him a crushing hug from behind before he put an arm around Robin's shoulders and started to sob profusely.

Vivi stood on the steps of the restaurant's entrance with a beaming Nami at her side. She held a cordless mic, and held up her hand for the crowd to quiet down.

"Today," she began, her tone potent and regal, "we celebrate a new addition to the diverse and exciting culture of Seattle night life. Many years ago, a seven year old boy, working on the floating restaurant _Baratie_, had a dream that one day he would have a place of his own. He would follow in his father's footsteps, and carry a tradition of exquisite food with little or no waste." Cameras flashed, and TV reporters held their devices above the crowd, not wanting to miss even a moment of Vivi's speech.

"Now, twenty years later, that boy is a man… A very kind, generous, and amazing man, that has won the hearts and minds of people all over this city. His love for food, and his attention to the details of service have made this night possible. I am so happy, and privileged, to say that I am so proud of my friend, Sanji Black." Sanji's heart raced as Vivi smiled at him over the crowd. "May your success know no bounds, Sanji, and may you enjoy the fruits of your labor for the rest of your days… You deserve it."

Cheers and applause sounded as Vivi looked up towards the balcony. Nami signaled at her side, and Zoro and Luffy appeared. They pulled at the ties holding a large, light blue covering. When released, the silky fabric fell to reveal the new name of the restaurant. _'ALL BLUE'_ shone liquor black and dark blue in the light from the setting sun. Sanji's chest tightened at the sight. He blinked rapidly, running a hand over his mouth. He didn't want to break down while there were cameras around.

His friends clapped and cheered around him. Sanji lost himself in the hugs and congratulations. Interviews flew by as someone from every publication vied for his attention. Franky and Ace pushed the paparazzi back finally when Luffy slipped through the crowd and whispered that Zoro wanted to talk to Sanji on the balcony.

"Why?" Sanji asked, still dazed. "Can't he just come down here?"

Luffy shook his head.

"You should go, Sanji," Ace said, a strange grin pulling at his mouth.

Sanji looked at his friends. They all seemed to have that same knowing smirk tugging at their features. He rolled his eyes and slipped his hands in his pockets.

"Fine," he mumbled, fighting a smirk of his own. "What, am I gonna go up there and find him naked except for some whipped cream?"

Robin shrugged. "Maybe."

Sanji thought about that for a second, turned on his heel and headed toward the stairs.

The murmur of the crowd was less as he ascended. Brook's trio started up again, but it was only a faint afterthought as the cook neared the balcony doors. Seeing the setup on the other side, Sanji caught his breath and slowly turned the handles to let himself back out into the cool, evening air.

Stepping out onto the stone balcony, Sanji's eyes took in the table covered in an elaborate spread of china and silver. Candles burned and a large vase of white and red roses sat between the two place settings. Wine sat chilling in a bucket of ice, and two glasses sat on a cart.

Zoro stood leaning against the railing, his hands in his pockets. He smiled as Sanji closed the doors behind him.

"What's all this?" Sanji asked.

Zoro slowly held out his hand and beckoned Sanji closer. The cook complied and moved to stand with the swordsman. Zoro held him close, his eyes burning intensely in the light from the candles. "It's an anniversary… of sorts."

Sanji smiled. "Anniversary of what?"

Zoro reached behind him. "I'll get to that."

Sanji made a noise as Zoro brought out a large, blue rose. The swordsman lightly brushed it across Sanji's lips, and trailed the soft pedals down the cook's neck. "You told me a long time ago what blue roses mean."

Sanji nodded. "'Attaining the impossible'…"

Zoro nodded as well. "And you know what red means."

Sanji's voice softened as his chest tightened. He leaned into Zoro and kissed the corner of the swordsman's lips. "Love…"

"And white?" Zoro asked.

Sanji swallowed thickly, feeling like he knew where this was going, but didn't want to break the moment.

"U-unity…"

Zoro leaned forward to kiss Sanji's forehead. "And," he whispered, "When you mix red and white?"

Sanji glanced at the bouquet on the table. The red and white roses blurred as tears filled his eyes.

"'May we always be together as one'…"

Zoro smiled and ran his thumb over Sanji's cheek, catching a stray tear as it trailed slowly towards the cook's chin.

"I have something I want to show you."

Sanji nodded, and waited as Zoro reached to the cart holding the wine and glasses. He pulled out the picture in the black frame that Sanji had been so curious about. The cook's eyes widened as the swordsman held it out to him. Sanji took it, and looked at the picture with bated breath.

The sun was setting in the picture, and he was standing with Zoro in this exact spot. His hands cupped Zoro's face, the swordsman's arms held him possessively by his hips. They were locked in a timeless kiss, so soft and light that it made Sanji's heart skip.

Sanji trailed his fingers over the picture. "What is this? It's so beautiful…"

"That," Zoro said softly, "is us, right after saying our vows."

Sanji's head shot up. He looked at the swordsman, his heart pounding, his watery eyes finally releasing the tears freely onto his cheeks. He had known; somehow he had known Zoro was going to say that, but it still jolted the cook, breaking his heart and piecing it back together all at the same time.

"Oh… oh my God, Zoro…" Sanji gasped.

Zoro took the rose and the picture and set them to the side. He pulled Sanji back into his arms and breathed across the cook's lips.

"I can't live without you, Sanji. I know that for a fact because I did it for eleven months. But what I was doing while you slept wasn't _living_. I was just walking dead and pretending, and I'm not going to pretend anymore."

Sanji's shoulders started to shake as sobs took over. He clutched at Zoro's arms as the swordsman continued, his heart and his soul singing with joy so intense, it hurt.

"Marry me, Sanji," Zoro murmured so softly. "Marry me again. _I won't let you say no…_"

Sanji gasped, raising his hands to touch Zoro's cheeks. "Why the hell would I say no?" He sniffed once and kissed Zoro's lips.

"I love you, Zoro. Yes. Yes, of course I'll marry you."

Sanji's feet left the ground. Zoro held him tight, whirling him around in circles, kissing him all over. On his cheeks, his neck, his eyelids, his nose, his lips. Sanji laughed and held him back, crying and laughing at the same time. When Zoro put him back down, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple gold ring with two small diamonds incased in a titanium center band.

"This is yours," Zoro said, his smile splitting his face. "You picked it out when we went to France for a couple weeks."

Sanji's hands shook as Zoro slipped the ring on his finger. "Why wasn't I wearing it when I woke up?"

Zoro shook his head. "The weight you lost. It kept slipping off."

Sanji grasped Zoro's hand. "You're shaking, Zoro."

Zoro chuckled. "Yeah, well, so are you."

They kissed, and Zoro pulled the cook to the railing. The swordsman leaned over, raising his hand to the crowd below and calling out.

"He said yes! Again!"

Cheers, twice as loud as during the unveiling, erupted below, and Sanji hid face in his hands.

"Oh Christ…" the cook moaned. "How totally embarrassing…"

Zoro didn't give him time to think about it. He scooped the cook up in his arms, and kissed him once again on the lips.

"My bike's out back." He grinned. "Maybe we should blow this place."

Sanji wrapped his arms around Zoro's neck, pressing his nose into the swordsman's cheek playfully.

"I love you, Marimo," he whispered. "Take me away."

**END**

**:)  
**

So, now that you've read the story, you should let the author know how you liked it. Leave a review and make a writer happy today! xD


End file.
